Tribal students to Be Taught Primers in Dialects

The State Government on Monday asked the OPEPA to develop bilingual primers in tribal dialects for tribal students in primary level.

 Earlier, the Government had decided to prepare bilingual primers in 10 major tribal languages like Munda, Santhali, Kissan, Oraon, Kuvi, Saura, Koya, Bonda and Juanga. Meanwhile, the preparation of primers in all these languages are in the final stage.

 As of now 544 primary schools, including 135 in Mayurbhanj district, 37 in Sambalpur, 67 in Sundargarh, 95 in Rayagada, 60 in Malkangiri, 30 in Keonjhar, 60 in Kandhamal and 60 in Gajapati have been taken up under multilingual learning programme.

 Presiding over a high-level meeting here, Chief Secretary BK Patnaik directed OPEPA to expedite the process of printing of primers and organise training programme for teachers who will teach the students bilingual primer.  The meeting further decided that the facility of multilingual primer will be extended to all the schools having 100 per cent tribal students. Official sources said there are about 3,400 such schools in tribal districts.  It was also decided to extend the facility to anganwadi centres (AWCs) in tribal- dominated areas to facilitate learning in mother tongue among tribal children. There are about 20,000 AWCs and mini-AWCs in tribal areas. 

 A study guideline called ‘Arunima’ has been prepared for all AWCs in the State. The Chief Secretary directed OPEPA to customise Arunima in tribal languages in the context of their culture. Popular stories, rhymes, folklore and dance performances of concerned tribes should be reflected in the guidelines. The script will be in Odia but the language will be in the dialect of the tribe concerned, he said.   OPEPA was asked to draw resource persons from different agencies, including Academy for Tribal Language and Culture and Women and Child Development Department, to customise Arunima within three months.

 According to official sources, nine new tribal languages have been identified for inclusion in multilingual education programme. These languages are Gutob, Ho, Gondi, Parja, Khaira, Didayita, Chhattisgarhi Odia and Binjhal (Western Odisha and Bargarh region). The meeting decided to develop primers in these languages.  SC and ST Development Secretary Santosh Sarangi, Schools and Mass Education Secretary Rajesh Verma and OPEPA Director Krishna Gopal Mohapatra participated in the discussions.