Bhubaneswar, April 4: The Khadi Chhuan (initiation into learning) and School Enrollment Festival is being celebrated across the state with much enthusiasm. A special programme was organized at Raj Bhavan Government Upper Primary School in Bhubaneswar, where the Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi formally initiated young children into education by helping them write with chalk.

Interacting with the children, the Chief Minister emphasized the importance of early childhood education and said such initiatives aim to bring innovative learning practices for young minds. Parents also participated in the ceremony, making it more inclusive.

To spread awareness on education, the ‘Shiksha Sachetanata Rath’ will be flagged off from April 6 and will travel across districts till April 10. The festival will be observed in all districts from April 6 to April 8 with participation of students, parents, public representatives, officials, and members of civil society.

Ahead of the program, invitation letters signed by the Chief Minister were distributed from March 17 to children enrolling in Shishu Vatika and Class I across the state.

As part of the initiative, activity-based learning will be promoted in schools through storytelling, art, and play zones. Special focus has been given to the ‘Jadui Pitara’ (Magic Box), a learning kit introduced for early-grade students.

Developed by DIETs, the kit includes toys, puzzles, story cards, posters, and teaching-learning materials to improve foundational literacy and numeracy. The kits will be available in schools from Shishu Vatika to Class V and will be used by teachers, students, and parents to make learning more engaging.