Report by Dipti Ranjan Kanungo, Bhubaneswar: The Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik  inaugurated the Sensitization Meet on Right to Education Act, 2009 here  on Thursday. The Chief Minister called upon the teachers , parents  and managing committees and the educationists for their  support to achieve the goals of Right to Free and Compulsory Education Act.”

The Chief Minister expressed that  We are committed to meet all the provisions of the Act towards ensuring Free and Compulsory Education to all children in the age group of 6 to 14 years that is from Class-I to Class-VIII in all schools – whether Government aided, Government or private – in our State.  We are the second State in the country after Sikim to finalise the State Rules of Right to Education.  For better dissemination and understanding at all levels, the Act and Rules have been translated into Oriya.  In the days to come, the Department of School & Mass Education will ensure that there is proper sensitization and awareness generation at all levels – from the State to the Gram Panchayats.

The Chief Minister further told To fulfill our commitments under Right to Education Act we will be engaging around twenty-five thousand teachers for the elementary level schools very shortly.  We are also taking steps for imparting training to the untrained in-service teachers and organizing orientation training for trained teachers at regular intervals.  Capacity building of teachers is very important for enhancement of quality education.  In order to ensure quality education, Teachers’ Guide Books like “Samadhan” and “Saadhan” have been prepared and will be sent to all schools very soon to help the teachers towards the improvement in the quality of class room transactions.  We are also taking steps to supply free text-books to all children in Government and Government aided schools in the days to come.  All the text books have, in the meantime, been revised in line with National Curriculum Framework, 2005.

The Chief Minister expressed One lakh eight seven thousand children have to be enrolled  in the school.  Enrolment of these children is being accorded top priority.   We want to have “Quality” schools with desirable features so that these children will be attracted towards the school and drop out rate can be checked.  Sarba Siksha Abhiyan is playing a significant role in creating positive ambience in the schools.  We want all schools to have boundary walls for the safety and security of children, kitchen garden, drinking water facilities and toilets for both boys and girls.  Computer Aided Education is being encouraged and 1500 schools have already been covered.  Another 900 schools will be provided with computers very soon.  We are emphasizing Multi Lingual Education and Girls’ Education.  Multi Lingual Education is being imparted in 10 tribal languages in 8 districts.  We will be expanding the same in the current year.  For encouraging girls, 157 Kasturba Balika Vidyalayas have been started where more than fifteen thousand girls are studying.  We are keen to have similar schools in all 173 Educationally Backward Blocks.

Inclusive Education, for the children with special needs, is being given adequate thrust.  We are trying to ensure that all children with special needs are able to access schools.  Their enrolment and retention is one of our major concerns.  State Commission for Protection of Child Rights has also been constituted for  protection of the child rights.

The Chief Minister called upon the teachers , parents  and managing committees   “We need the support of all teachers, parents, managing committees of all private institutions and the educationists across the State to achieve the goals of Right to Free and Compulsory Education Act.”
        
Among others, the meeting was attended by Shri Pratap Jena, Minister, School & Mass Education, Smt. Aparajita Sarangi, Commissioner-cum-Secretary, School & Mass Education,  Ms. Shairose Mawji, Chief, Field Office, UNICEF,Orissa,  Shri Bibekananda Mohapatra, Director, Elementary Education,   Shri H.R. SAtpathy, Addl. Director (Planning), OPEPA and other senior officials.