BHUBANESWAR: In order to impart early childhood education in tribal languages, the State government has trained as many as 7,000 anganwadi workers and 250 supervisors of 12 districts.
The Women and Child Development (W&CD) department had launched the programme in association with Bernand Van Leer Foundation (BvLF) in April this year.
The department had signed an MoU with the BvLF in June 2016 to introduce a model of mother tongue-based multilingual early childhood education in 7,202 anganwadi centres in 12 tribal districts of Odisha. It aimed at improving learning environment, demonstrate better language proficiency and make successful transition to primary schools.
It also aimed at strengthening the skills and capacity of Government policymakers, managers and frontline workers to deliver mother tongue-based early learning programmes and strengthening the anganwadi centres as platforms for parental and community engagement focused on the holistic development of children in Odisha.
Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Dhenkanal, Sambalpur, Sundargarh, Kalahandi, Ganjam, Gajapati, Koraput, Kandhamal, Malkangiri and Rayagada districts were covered under the programme. Anganwadi workers of these 12 districts participated in the training programme which was imparted in 10 tribal languages, including Santhali, Juanga, Munda, Bonda, Kui, Kuvi, Koya, Oram, Saura and Kisan.
The training modules for the entire programme were developed by CECED and supported by BvLF.
A total of 100 master trainers, 205 District Social Welfare Officers (DSWOs), CDPOs and POs, 250 supervisors and 7202 anganwadi workers have been trained under the programme.
Women and Child Development Minister Prafulla Samal and W&CD Secretary Vishal Dev were present during the training programme on Saturday.