Odisha Unveils New Education and Anti-Child Marriage Initiatives

The Odisha government has launched an education scheme aligned with the NEP 2020 and a 100-day anti-child marriage campaign. The state targets children's education in their mother tongues and aims to eliminate child marriage by 2030, with special programs for adolescent support and development.

The Odisha government introduced a new education scheme and a 100-day campaign against child marriage, aligning with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. The Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida, who also leads the Women and Child Development department, spearheaded the launch.

Emphasizing women's empowerment as crucial for a developed Odisha, Parida announced the 'Ame Padhiba Ama Bhasare' initiative to provide early education in mother tongues for children aged three to six. The program will initially cover districts like Keonjhar and Malkangiri, delivering education in tribal languages such as Munda and Kui.

The state also aims to eradicate child marriage by 2030, with a pilot campaign in Mayurbhanj and Malkangiri. Parida unveiled related programs for adolescent mother support and the inauguration of new facilities for the State Institute of Women and Children to bolster capacity building.