Odisha to transfer all functions of elementary education to PRIs
All the functions of elementary education will be transferred in phases to Zilla Parishad and other Panchayati Raj Institutions
The Odisha government has announced that all the functions of elementary education will be transferred in phases to Zilla Parishad and other Panchayati Raj institutions, according to a notification by the state school and mass education department.
The notification said, “Engagement of all Junior Teachers (Schematic) under the Samagra Siksha scheme will be made by respective Zilla Parishads under each category i.e. for Classes I to V and Classes VI to VIII under the programme of Samagra Siksha (SS) for implementation of the said Act for elementary education,” said the notification.
“As prescribed in the Odisha Elementary Education (Method of Recruitment and conditions of Service of Teachers and Officers) Amendment Rules, 2014, Elementary Teachers are appointed in the state through absorption of Junior Teachers after three years of continuous and satisfactory service considered through a committee at the district level. A Junior Teacher (Schematic) becomes eligible to be a Junior Teacher after three years of continuous and satisfactory service. Their six years of engagement as mentioned above will be co-terminus with that of Samagra Siksha scheme till their absorption in the regular Elementary cadre,” the notification said.
Though 29 functions should be devolved to the PRIs as per provision laid down in Article 243G and the 11th Schedule of the Indian Constitution, in Odisha only 21 functions of 11 departments have been devolved to these bodies.
In 2020, the chief minister Naveen Patnaik-led government announced that assets of government and aided high schools will be transferred to panchayat samitis, while government-aided higher secondary schools upto Class XII will be transferred to the Zilla Parishad, which will be responsible for any new construction and maintenance.
In 2021, the state government issued the Odisha Panchayat Laws (Amendment) Ordinance, 2021 to amend the Odisha Gram Panchayat Act 1964, Odisha Panchayat Samiti Act, 1959 and Odisha Zilla Parshad Act, 1991, making PRI representatives responsible for preparation of disaster management plan at village and Gram Panchayat level, integration with development plan, capacity building of stakeholders, carrying out and facilitation of relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction activities in disaster affected areas.
As per the guidelines, all the functions of elementary education will be transferred in phases to Zilla Parishad and other Panchayati Raj Institutions. The engagement of all junior teachers will be made by respective Zilla Parishads under each category - for Classes I to V and Classes VI to VIII - under the Samagra Siksha programme through a computer-based test.
