Bhubaneswar: In a significant milestone for educational transparency and accountability, the state of Odisha has taken a pioneering step by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Social Audit Unit (OSSAAT), Department of Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water, Government of Odisha, to implement the school-level social audit program under the Samagra Shiksha Scheme. This initiative aligns with the Sustainable Development Goal for Education (SDG-4) which aims to provide inclusive, equitable, quality, and holistic school education.
The Samagra Shiksha Scheme, an integrated school education scheme, spans from pre-school classes to class XII. Its objective is to ensure comprehensive development and improvement in the quality of education across the country. To further enhance transparency and accountability in its implementation, the scheme has introduced a social audit mechanism.
The Social Audit of Samagra Shiksha will serve as an independent monitoring and tracking mechanism. It will collect information on various programs, initiatives, and activities under the scheme, with a focus on gathering input from stakeholders at the grassroots level, particularly from schools. This initiative aims to enhance public accountability in the Samagra Shiksha implementation process.
Under the guidelines, the Social Audit Unit will conduct social audits for all government schools over a five-year period, covering 20% of the total number of government schools annually. This approach will ensure systematic and comprehensive coverage of schools across the state.
The state of Odisha took a significant step forward by conducting the first training program for Master Trainers who will facilitate the social audit process. This training program, held on October 06, 2023, was organized by the Odisha School Education Program Authority (OSEPA) at Krushi Bhawan, Bhubaneswar, in collaboration with OSSAAT, Bhubaneswar. Professor Dr. Sarad Sinha from the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) and the team led the training, imparting essential knowledge and skills to the Master Trainers.
This initiative marks a transformative step in ensuring that educational resources reach their intended beneficiaries and that the education system becomes more transparent and accountable. It reinforces Odisha’s commitment to providing quality education for all, aligning with the vision of SDG-4.
