Former Odisha Chief Minister and Biju Janata Dal leader Naveen Patnaik congratulated the state on it earning fifth rank nationally in School Grading System, as per Performance Grading Index (PGI-2.0) report released by the Centre and said it was under his government’s 5T initiative that transformed over 7,000 schools to unleash new aspirations for school students.
Patnaik took to X and wrote, “Glad to share that Odisha has earned 5th rank nationally in School Grading System, as per Performance Grading Index (PGI-2.0) Report released by Government of India. Odisha has achieved score of 595.6 and secured PRACHESTA-3 grade for the academic year 2023-24, up from 14th in 2019. The PGI 2.0 evaluates school education through 73 indicators across two categories: Outcomes and Governance and Management.”
The former Chief Minister highlgihted: “Under our 5T initiative, we transformed about 7,000 schools to unleash new aspirations and open new horizons for school students.”
The BJD chief said: “We always believed that New Odisha will be built by empowering every child with the power of education. Glad that the robust foundation for government school education helping students excel. Thank all the teachers, parents, administrators and support staff for the huge transformation.”
Even VK Pandian, who is a close aide of Patnaik also said, “When 5T targets were being set up across sectors in 2019, CM Naveen Patnaik had stated that a credible 5T target in school education would be for Odisha to cross Kerala. It sounded impossible at that time. But we could achieve this transformation mile stone.”
Pandian, who had quit bureaucracy and joined the BJD in December 2023 said, “The Performance Grading Index (PGI) of Government of India that assesses school education across 73 indicators has placed Odisha at No 5 among all the states in 2023-24, higher than Kerala. This achievement is stupendous especially as Odisha was in the bottom category states previously.”
“Congratulations to the entire team who made this happen in a record time. It was not an easy task to go from being 24 in all India ranking to number 5. The hard work and dedication that has gone in from all quarters has made this possible. Thanking the students, parents, community leaders, PRIs, people’s representatives, SMCs and government officials who made this transformative target under 5T come true,” he added.
Under Patnaik, a scheme called the 5T High School Programme (technology, teamwork, transparency, time and transformation) run by the school and mass education department, the Odisha government began an exercise to modernise over 7,000 schools (categorised as those that are up to Class 10) across the state.
The initiative was launched in 2021 and Pandian was the chairman of the 5T initiative in the state, before entering politics.
The scheme had came in response to the identifiable need to adapt; to regenerate interest among students and bring class room teaching into the age of technology.
