BJD to launch statewide campaign over errors in Odisha school textbooks

Bhubaneswar, Jul 7 (PTI) Opposition BJD on Tuesday announced a statewide 'Save Education Campaign' from July 9 to 15, demanding stringent action against those responsible for alleged errors in textbooks for classes 1 to 8 and reiterating its demand for the resignation of Odisha School and Mass Education Minister Nityananda Gond. The party accused the BJP government of failing to withdraw the allegedly error-ridden textbooks despite the commencement of the academic session. Addressing a press conference here, BJD MLA and senior general secretary Byomkesh Ray, the party's youth wing president Chinmay Sahu and student wing chief Ipsita Sahu criticised the state government over the issue. "The state government has not so far taken any measure to withdraw the faulty textbooks. There is absolutely no coordination between the chief minister, the minister concerned and the secretary," Ray alleged. The BJD leaders claimed that parents were worried about the impact of the issue on children's education and appealed to them to join the party's 'Save Education Campaign'. In a statement, the party said it would organise protests across the state from July 9 to 15 under the campaign. It also demanded that the government withdraw the allegedly defective textbooks and provide revised, error-free editions within a month. "The parents and students will never forgive CM Mohan Majhi, Gond, and the departmental secretary for playing with the future of children," the party said and added that the youth and students will therefore launch a strong movement against the BJP government. Meanwhile, the CPI(M)'s Odisha unit staged demonstrations here, demanding the resignation of the school and mass education minister over the issue. Alleging that the textbooks were prepared in haste to implement the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, CPI(M) state secretary Suresh Chandra Panigrahy claimed that experienced writers, educationists, subject experts, reviewers, editors and proofreaders were ignored during the process. "The double-engine government has prepared 55 primary level textbooks without following proper process to implement the National Education Policy-2020 in the state. Experienced writers, educationists, subject experts, reviewers, editors and proofreaders have been completely ignored," alleged Panigrahy. "The errors occurred due to the unscientific use of AI. This is not just an administrative failure; it is a serious crime against Odisha's education system, the future of students and the dignity of the Odia language," Panigrahy alleged. He demanded immediate withdrawal of the textbooks, supply of revised editions and strict action against those responsible. PTI AAM AAM MNB