Odisha CM slams previous govt over ‘collapsed’ primary education system, BJD counters

Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi came down heavily on the previous BJD-led government on Monday, accusing it of leaving the primary education system in shambles.

Also Read: 5T travesty! CAG report highlights wide gaps in Odisha’s transformation initiative

“They were painting walls with 5T slogans, but there was no real foundation for quality education in 24 years of rule,” the CM stated, targeting Biju Janata Dal (BJD) after a Cabinet meeting.

In a significant announcement, the CM revealed that the Godabarish Mishra Adarsha Primary Schools will be established in every panchayat across the State. In the first phase, 2,200 such schools will be constructed over three years, with a budget of Rs 12,000 crore.

“Especially, the primary education system had collapsed. To bring about an improvement in the system, our government has taken a policy decision. Students of Odisha were cheated in the name of school transformation under the 5T initiative,” the CM said.

“Schools sans infrastructure and teachers were not being given priority,” the CM added.

Responding to the CM’s remarks, senior BJD leader Ashok Panda countered the criticism, stating, “If you wear yellow glasses, everything will look yellow. It was under Naveen Patnaik’s government that Odisha’s education system moved forward the most.”

“The education system had reached heights at the all-India level. Whatever good things have been done must be accepted. Blaming others is inappropriate,” Panda expressed.

The BJD leader added that if there are any remaining gaps, the State government should now focus on addressing them rather than blaming the past.

The political blame game highlights elementary education as a key battleground in the evolving governance narrative of the State.