Sundargarh: To realise the career dreams of students, the state government is focused on energising and strengthening the education sector. As part of the vision, government high schools and Odisha Adarsha Vidyalayas in the mining-affected Sundargarh district are being modernised.
Financial assistance for the same is being provided by Odisha Mineral Bearing Areas Development Corporation (OMBADC). Various state-run high schools are being revamped and upgraded with modern facilities in the High School Transformation programme under 5T in Sundargarh district.
Smart classrooms, modern science labs, ICT labs, and e-libraries have been set up in 347 high schools with the help of OMBADC funds. Using a smart board, children are engaged in lessons and learning concepts in a fun and intuitive way.
Similarly, they get hands-on practical learning using the latest scientific equipment available in the modern science lab. Thanks to the modern ICT labs at schools, students at the high school level are availing of digital skills. Additionally, the eLibrary facility helps them learn beyond the books by facilitating information from all around the globe.
“Teachers are teaching us with the help of smart boards. As a result, it is easier for us to understand the subjects. Earlier we used to read books and see pictures only. Now, we can apply our learning on our own in the science lab. Through this, we gain more knowledge about science,” said Pooja Barua, a student of Kutra Government High School in the district.
Development of playgrounds and provision of sports equipment in government high schools is being done with the help of the OMBADC. This allows the students to show their sporting talent.
More than 1,600 government high schools across seven mining-affected districts of the state have been included in this transformation process with the help of the OMBADC. Odisha Adarsha Vidyalayas (OAVs) are being established in each block of the district to impart quality education to rural children, following the CBSE pattern.
The support of OMBADC further strengthens the infrastructure of Odisha Adarsha Vidyalaya established in all 17 blocks of Sundargarh district. “Today, our school has all the modern facilities that we earlier dreamt of. It helps in the all-round development of children,” said Ashish Kumar Nayak, a student of Odisha Adarsha Vidyalaya in Simdega, Sundargarh while thanking OMBADC for the facilities that have been provided.
At the OAV, hostels for both boys and girls are being constructed with OMBADC support. The children who earlier faced difficulty coming to school due to distance can today stay in the hostel and study uninterrupted. Similarly, additional facilities like a kitchen, dining hall, and bicycle stand add value to the overall ecosystem.
“We appreciate OMBADC for their support in this program which helps in the overall development of the education sector in Sundargarh district. Due to such measures, students can develop physically, mentally, and intellectually.
As a result, they can establish themselves in various fields in the coming days,” said Manoj Mahajan, Chief Development Officer-CumExecutive Officer, Zilla Parishad, Sundargarh. High School Transformation and modernisation of Odisha Adarsha Vidyalaya have improved the standard of education in the mining-affected districts of Odisha.
By supporting the cause, OMBADC helps students fulfil their future and career dreams thereby leading to a developed society
PNN