To ensure equality in educational opportunities for tribal children, the State Government has directed the Odisha Primary Education Programme Authority (OPEPA) to develop bilingual primers in tribal dialects for children studying in Class I-III and cover all the schools having 100 per cent tribal students.
The State Government had earlier decided to prepare bilingual primers in 10 major tribal languages namely Munda, Santhali, Kissan, Oraon, Kuvi, Saura, Koya, Bonda, Juanga and Saura.
The preparation of primers in all these languages are in the final stage.
As of now, 544 primary schools including 135 in Mayurbhanj, 37 in Samabalpur, 67 in Sundargarh, 95 in Rayagada, 60 in Malkangiri, 30 in Keonjhar, 60 in Kandhamal and 60 in Gajpati districts have been taken up for the intervention of multilingual learning programme.
It has been decided to extend this facility to all the schools having 100 per cent monolingual tribal students.
There are about 3,400 such schools in tribal districts.
Decision has also been taken to introduce a similar facility in the Anganwadi Centres in tribal dominated areas to encourage reading, writing and learning in mother tongue among the tribal children.
Official sources said there are about 20,000 Anganwadi Centres and mini-anganwadi centres in tribal areas.
The study guideline titled ‘Arunima’ has been prepared for all Anganwadi Centres in the State.
Stories, rhymes, dance performances, folk lores of the tribe concerned will be reflected in this.
The script will be in Odia but the language will be that of the tribe concerned.
All resource persons from OPEPA, Academy for Tribal Language and Culture and Women and Child Development Department were pulled together for preparation of ‘Arunima’.
Official sources said nine new tribal languages have also been identified for inclusion in Multilingual Education programme.
These languages are Gutob, Ho, Gondi, Parja, Khaira, Didayita, Chhatisgarhi Odia, Binjhal (western Odisha) and Binjhal(Bargarh region).
It has been decided that primers will also be developed in these languages.