GLOBIVOX

Introduction

The Odisha government under Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has approved a major new education push. The Cabinet has sanctioned ₹12,000 crore to establish 2,200 model primary schools across the state over three years (2025-26 to 2027-28) under the Godabarisha Mishra Adarsha Vidyalaya (GAV) scheme. With each school estimated to cost about ₹5 crore (subject to detailed project reports, or DPRs), the plan aims to bring high-quality education, infrastructure, and inclusivity to the doorstep of children in rural and under-served areas.

What Exactly Is the GAV Scheme

• Name & Heritage: GAV stands for Godabarisha Mishra Adarsha Vidyalaya, named after the poet Godabarisha Mishra. The scheme is meant to revive primary education with model schools under this banner.

• Timeframe: Over three years from 2025-26 to 2027-28.

• Scope: 2,200 model primary schools in this first phase. The aim is to build one model school in each gram panchayat (at least in the 2,200 selected in this phase).

• Estimated cost per school: Around ₹5 crore each, though exact cost depends on DPRs.

• Policy alignments:

  • Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009, especially on inclusive & equitable access.

  • National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

  • NIPUN Odisha (focus on Foundational Literacy & Numeracy) is emphasised in the announcement.

Why This Matters — Objectives & Expected Benefits

• Infrastructure Upgrade: Many primary schools—especially in rural and remote gram panchayats—lack basic facilities. Model schools are expected to come with better classrooms, amenities, and learning tools.

• Quality & Foundational Learning: There is explicit mention of enhancing FLN (Foundational Literacy & Numeracy), improving early grades so that students don’t lag behind.

• Equal Access & Inclusivity: The scheme seeks to ensure all children, regardless of geography or socio-economic background, have access to quality education in their local area (gram panchayat level).

• Community Participation: The plan involves engaging local communities, presumably for oversight, participation, and ensuring schools respond to local needs.

Challenges & Things to Watch

While the scheme is ambitious, there are several potential bottlenecks and risk points.

1. Teacher Shortages & Training

   • Many Odisha schools already suffer from vacancies, especially in subjects like English, Science, Maths. Recruiting qualified teachers and ensuring continuous training will be essential.

   • Ensuring that model schools have staff appropriate for modern / improved curriculum and teaching methods.

2. Land & Geography Constraints

   • Establishing one school per gram panchayat means some panchayats may be very remote or with difficult terrain. Issues such as suitable land, connectivity, access, and cost will vary widely.

3. Infrastructure Quality & Maintenance

   • It’s one thing to build; another to maintain. Schools will need long-term budgets for upkeep, utilities, technology, labs, etc.

4. Actual vs Estimated Cost

   • The “around ₹5 crore per school” is a rough estimate. DPRs may reveal higher costs (due to land, terrain, infrastructure needs) in many cases.

5. Ensuring Outcomes, Not Just Inputs

   • Building schools is only part of the story; student performance, retention, teacher accountability, foundational skills must also improve.

   • Monitoring & evaluation systems must be robust to track learning outcomes (reading, numeracy, etc.).

6. Inequality & Inclusion

   • Special attention needed for marginalized groups: Scheduled Tribes, Scheduled Castes, remote communities, girls, disabled students.

   • Also ensuring that children who live far from school have access (transport, safe routes).

Comparisons & Precedents

• Earlier, Odisha had a plan to upgrade schools under GMAPV (Godabarish Mishra Adarsh Prathamik Vidyalaya), to set up model primary schools in all 6,794 gram panchayats over a five-year period (2024-25 to 2028-29) with a cost of about ₹11,939 crore.

• The current GAV scheme seems to be an accelerated / initial phase (2,200 schools over 3 years) under this broader goal of upgrading primary education

Political & Social Context

• Political change: This scheme is being pushed by the new government (Majhi administration) and is, in part, portrayed as a corrective to past administrations. CM Majhi has criticised previous governments for neglecting primary education, alleging superficial fixes and insufficient investment.

• Public expectation & accountability: Given the scale and cost, public scrutiny will be high. Success will depend not just on construction but on how well these schools function and whether gaps in quality decline.

What Could Make This Work Well

To maximise impact, the government will need to do the following:

• Ensure strong DPRs for each school that account for local requirements (climate, geography, student population, local languages).

• Build robust monitoring & evaluation frameworks: tracking learning outcomes, teacher performance, infrastructure usage.

• Recruit and train sufficient numbers of quality teachers, with incentives to go to remote areas.

• Incorporate technology (digital classrooms, libraries, labs) but ensure reliable power, internet connectivity.

• Engage communities: parents, local bodies, civil society, to maintain responsibility, oversight, and support.

• Make special provisions for marginalized / remote populations: transport, safety, language inclusion, etc.

• Budget for maintenance and recurring costs, not just capital expenditure.

Conclusion

The Odisha GAV scheme is one of the most ambitious state-level efforts in recent years to boost primary education infrastructure, accessibility, and quality. With ₹12,000 crore earmarked for 2,200 model schools over three years, the government seeks to build strong foundations for children across gram panchayats.

Success hinges not only on how many schools are built, but how well they operate. If managed properly—with skilled teachers, proper infrastructure, community involvement, and constant outcome tracking—this could mark a turning point for Odisha’s education system.

But if the past is any guide, the real test will be whether these model schools translate into improved learning and greater equity—for all children, in every corner of the state.