Bhubaneswar: Physical Education as a dedicated subject will be introduced in the school curriculum for students of Classes 3 to 8 from the next academic year, School and Mass Education Minister Nityananda Gond informed the Odisha Assembly on Friday.
Gond said that the initiative aligns with the guidelines of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which emphasises holistic student development by integrating physical fitness alongside academics. “There will be classes on yoga, pranayama, among others, from 6.30 am to 7.30 am every Saturday. In addition to this, physical education and fitness books will be provided to the students,” he said.
He reiterated that value-based education remains a priority for the state government.
The Minister further mentioned the ongoing adoption of modern teaching tools, including digital classrooms and e-content, to enhance learning experiences. The latest initiative aims to strike a balance between academics and physical fitness, for all-round development of students, he added.
To another query from Simulia MLA Padma Lochan Panda, the Minister informed that 1,829 teaching posts are vacant in Odisha Adarsh Vidyalayas (OAVs) across the state. He further informed the House that 1,170 guest teachers have been engaged across these schools to ensure uninterrupted learning for the students.
Gond put the number of dilapidated classrooms in primary schools across Odisha at 1763. The districts with the highest number of dilapidated classrooms in primary schools are are Sambalpur (175), Mayurbhanj (122), Sonepur (107), Cuttack (104), Kalahandi (101), Ganjam (100), Balasore (95), Keonjhar (94) and Kendrapada (90), he noted while replying to a query raised by MLA Souvic Biswal.