Odisha Announces ‘Sishu Sebika’ Appointments to Boost Early Childhood Education

In a move to enhance pre-school education, the Odisha government will deploy ‘Sishu Sebikas’ across the state. These childcare assistants will work within Sishu Vatikas, which have been set up in government primary schools under the National Education Policy to provide pre-school education to children aged 5-6. The primary goal of introducing Sishu Sebikas is to assist teachers in managing younger students, thereby enabling teachers to focus on teaching. The salaries of the Sishu Sebikas will be equivalent to those of midday meal cooks and financed by the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan. The Chief Minister believes this will substantially elevate the standards of early childhood education in Odisha.