XIM B & UNICEF Forum to focus on elevating poverty in Orissa

This objective received wider attention in the millennium summit held on 6th September 2000 at the United Nations headquarters in New York. During this summit 189 world leaders committed to, free all men, women and children from abject and dehumanizing conditions of extreme poverty by the year 2015. To achieve this, 8 Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) were formulated.

The first MDG is to Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger.Achieving this goal by 2015 is significant for Orissa, which still has 39.9 % of the population living below poverty line. It is also true that achieving MDGs in Orissa will put India on the global map of successful nations as achieving MDGs for Orissa is so compelling and impending. In order to assess Orissas progress and to suggest measures to accelerate the process of achieving MDGs in Orissa, Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar (XIMB) and UNICEF, Orissa have taken the lead to form a State-Level Multi-Stakeholder Forum on Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

This forum consists of representatives from the government, international agencies, civil society organizations, corporates, academia, political party and media. The first meeting of this Forum was held on 17 December, 2008 at XIMB. The second meeting of the forum was held on 16th February, 2009 and it was inaugurated by the Chief Guest Ms. Vandana Jena, I.A.S, Principal Secretary, School and Mass Education Department. The meeting was graced by Mr. Aurobindo Behera, I.A.S, MD, Industrial Development Corporation, Guest of Honor and Mr. Shadrack Omol, Chief UNICEF, Guest of Honor. Fr. Blacius Ekka, XIMB welcomed the august gathering.

The key-note address was delivered by Mr. Shadrack Omol.A status note was presented by Prof. S. Peppin, XIMB followed by a short video documentary on MDG 2 by Mr. Prosun Sen, UNICEF. This was followed by a panel discussion moderated by Dr. Dhanada Mishra, HDF. The panel formulated and submitted an Action Plan to accelerate the realization of MDG2. The members who participated in the panel discussion are: Mr. Nikunj Dhal, I.A.S, State Project Director, OPEPA, Mr. Surjayakant Mohanty, Centre Head, Wipro, Fr. Blacius Ekka, XIMB, Fr. Panka Toppo, XIMB, Dr. Rashmi Mishra, Faculty, NCDS and Mr. Ranjan Mohanty, Secretary, PECUC. Faculty members from XIMB, Human Development Foundation (HDF), Utkal University and other members from civil society, media and UNICEF also participated and offered their views.Dr. Mamata Mishra, Senior Research Assistant, XIMB proposed the vote of thanks.

The following Recommendations were brought out during the discussion

1. Our focus should be to increase the access of children to schools. It is necessary to conduct micro survey in inaccessible areas of schools.
2. We must ensure quality education by reducing teachers absenteeism.
3. 2.5 lakh children are out of school in Orissa, we need to know who are they, where are they and from which sector of the society they are so that relevant policies can be formulated.
4. Gender gap is wider in terms of primary education that needs to be bridged.
5. Child centric approach must be adopted instead of teacher centric approach.
6. Joyful teaching should be encouraged replacing the poor quality of teaching, lack of infrastructure and low motivated children.
7. Reading campaigns are necessary to improve education
8. Remedial teaching and coaching for outstanding children in tribal area is of absolute necessity.
9. The Govt. should set up child friendly schools
10. We must maintain the quality and authenticity of data to provide correct information to the policy makers. Micro level studies are required to do this.
11. Teachers need a series of orientation programmes to increase primary education.
12. There should be a demand from the civil society to make the schools functional.
13. Language is a bigger problem for the tribals to achieve primary education.
14. Teacher is the center, if a teacher is self motivated automatically the children will be motivated to attend school and complete their primary education.
15. There is a need to focus on outside classroom learning to encourage children to show interest in study.
16. Recruitment of teachers on merit basis can improve quality of teaching
17. There is a need to consider rationalization of teachers participation.