TV
In a landmark move to boost school education in Odisha, School and Mass Education Minister Nityananda Gond on Friday announced a series of student-friendly initiatives, including free bus travel and textbooks.
The Minister said that all school students can now travel free of cost in government-run buses by simply showing their identity cards. This facility is aimed at easing the burden on parents and ensuring hassle-free access to schools, especially for children from rural and economically weaker backgrounds.
“Students wearing school uniforms and having identity cards can travel in government-run buses at free of cost,” Gond said.
Further, students from Class I to Class X will be provided with free textbooks, the Minister announced. Earlier, SC and ST students used to get textbooks free of cost.
“In a meeting chaired by CM Mohan Majhi, it was decided to appoint 44,433 teachers in 3 years. Besides, JTS will be regularized and necessary steps will be taken accordingly,” the minister said.
The Odisha government is also preparing to implement wide-ranging reforms in primary education in line with the National Education Policy (NEP).
To strengthen the quality of education, Odisha will focus more on competency-based and skill-oriented learning at the foundational level. Steps will be taken to develop the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) in line with the NCERT framework. The emphasis will be on delivering qualitative education to every child, Gond said.
