In a move to strengthen early childhood education Odisha Chief Minister CM Mohan Charan Majhi approved the appointment of lsquoSishu Sebikasrsquo in all Sishu Vatikas pre-primary classes of government primary schools across the State on Sunday.
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This initiative aims to ease the non-teaching workload of educators and improve the quality of care for children aged five to six years.
Strengthening pre-primary education
Aligned with the National Education Policy NEP Odisha has introduced Sishu Vatikas in nearly 45000 government primary schools starting this academic year. These foundational classes prepare children for formal schooling and with rising enrollment the need for additional classroom support has become increasingly evident.
Sishu Sebikas will play a supportive role in the classroom helping young children adjust to the learning environment and ensuring their well-being. Their responsibilities will include
bull Supervising children to ensure they remain safely in the classroom.
bull Assisting with hand washing eating toileting and classroom routines.
bull Comforting children who cry or struggle to adapt.
bull Providing access to books toys and other learning materials.
bull Escorting children when they need to leave the classroom.
bull Alerting teachers to any signs of illness distress or unusual behaviour.
bull Maintaining a daily record of each childrsquos behaviour and activities.
Importantly Sishu Sebikas will not engage in teaching disciplining or administering medical care. They are strictly prohibited from giving medicines or punishing children in any form.
A recent study across Sishu Vatikas revealed that teachers are frequently burdened with caregiving and logistical tasks which detract from their core teaching responsibilities. By appointing Sishu Sebikas the State government aims to address this gap allowing teachers to focus entirely on instruction while ensuring children receive attentive care.
Chief Minister Majhi expressed confidence that the initiative would significantly enhance the holistic development of pre-primary education in the State.
Sishu Sebikas will receive a monthly honorarium equivalent to that of school-based cooks Pachikas funded through Samagra Shiksha budgetmdashIndiarsquos integrated school education scheme.
This policy marks a major step forward in Odisharsquos commitment to creating nurturing and inclusive learning environments for its youngest students.