Bhubaneswar, Jan 21 (Reporter) The new education policy (NEP) will focus on developing robust infrastructure and ensuring quality education in the primary sector, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said. Speaking at a three-day National Workshop on the New Education Policy-2020 on Tuesday, Majhi announced that the state government has decided to implement the policy starting from the next academic year. He highlighted that the current 10+2 education system will be replaced with the 5+3+3+4 system in the state. Majhi emphasized the introduction of kindergartens, focusing on pre-school education. The initiative aims to build children’s foundational and numerical skills without exerting undue pressure on them. To support this, comprehensive infrastructure will be developed in the coming years, prioritizing the recruitment of teachers, preparation of textbooks, and provision of other teaching aids. Stressing the role of technology in education, Majhi said that integrating technology into the education system will be a key focus, with efforts to expand its usage across the sector. Under the Godavarish Mishra Adarsh Pratya Vidyalaya Yojana, the Chief Minister noted that one school per panchayat is being developed as a model school. Additionally, measures are being taken to reduce the dropout rate of tribal students under the Shaheed Madho Singh Hath Bhakti Yojana. Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan suggested that the views of eminent Odia scholars and education experts be incorporated into the state’s curriculum design. He also emphasized including Odisha’s rich history, heritage, and ancestral contributions in the curriculum. School and Mass Education Minister Nityanand Gand stated that the NEP includes provisions for multilingual education alongside the mother tongue. He noted that this approach would bring significant transformation to the state’s education system...////...