Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has decided to set up 835 model primary schools in the first phase of Godabarish Mishra Adarsh Prathamika Vidyalaya programme.
Schools with more than 100 students and having over 2 acre land and classes from Sishu Vatika to Class-VIII will be selected for development as model schools under the scheme. These will be set up at the headquarters of every gram panchayat (GP) at an estimated cost of up to Rs 7 crore each and will serve as a feeder to the nearby higher secondary schools.
This decision was taken at a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi at Lok Seva Bhawan on Monday. The objective of the initiative is to transform the education system in line with the National Education Policy.
This comes almost seven months after the government cleared a plan to set up a model primary school in each of the state’s 6,794 gram panchayats at an estimated cost about Rs 11,939 crore over the next five years.
“One Adarsh Vidyalaya will be constructed in each gram panchayat headquarters, taking into account the geographical location. These schools will provide quality education on par with national standards, considering the socio-economic background of the students.. Special emphasis will be laid on ensuring ease of access for children from remote and tribal areas through free transportation,” said Majhi during the review meeting.
These institutions will be upgraded to high schools where feasible, he said.
The CM directed officials to adopt a more efficient teacher recruitment process and emphasised the importance of building foundational skills, adopting modern teaching methods, and encouraging community involvement, including parents, alumni and local stakeholders, in line with the NEP. “Achieving foundational literacy and numeracy by Class III will be a top priority,” he added.