Bhubaneswar, April 22: In a major initiative for school students and parents, the Odisha government has decided to continue academic engagement during the summer vacation through WhatsApp-based learning. The move aims to ensure uninterrupted education for students of government schools during the holiday period.
The Odisha School Education Programme Authority (OSEPA) will roll out the “Summer Learning Programme–2026,” covering students from pre-primary (Shishu Vatika) to Class 8. The programme will focus on activity-based and engaging learning methods to keep children connected with studies.
As part of the initiative, class-wise WhatsApp groups of parents will be created in every school. A dedicated chatbot will be integrated into these groups to share study materials, educational videos, and other learning content one to three times a week, depending on the class.
For families without access to smartphones or WhatsApp, the government has made alternative arrangements. Learning content will be delivered through SMS and IVRS (automated voice calls). In addition, printed holiday homework sheets will be distributed to students before the reopening of schools.
OSEPA Additional Director Amita Pattanayak has directed all District Education Officers (DEOs) and District Project Coordinators to activate the WhatsApp groups by April 25. The groups will be named following official guidelines using class-specific codes.
The programme will be monitored at the state level through a dedicated dashboard to ensure effective implementation. Regular weekly reviews will be conducted by DEOs, Block Education Officers (BEOs), and Cluster Resource Centre Coordinators (CRCCs). Teachers will also maintain regular communication with parents to encourage students to study at home and share their learning activities through photos and videos in the groups.
