Bhubaneswar: A five-member delegation from the Maharashtra Chief Minister’s Office, currently on a five-day visit to Odisha, visited the office of the Panchasakha Shikhya Setu (PSS) and highly appreciated its innovative initiatives aimed at holistic school development.
The delegation lauded the programme’s unique model of strengthening schools through active participation of alumni and community groups.
They described the initiative as a significant step towards improving both educational quality and overall school development, calling it an exemplary and replicable model.
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The visiting team included Special Officer to the Maharashtra Chief Minister, Priya Khan, Administrative Officer (Chief Minister’s Office) Rahul Mhatre, along with three other officials.
The delegation first visited the Panchasakha Shikhya Setu office, where a detailed interaction was held in the conference hall.
The Member Secretary of PSS and State Project Director of OSEPA, Ananya Das, joined the meeting virtually.
She welcomed the delegation and highlighted the importance of alumni engagement in strengthening the school education system.
The Chief Executive Officer of PSS, Rajalakshmi Dash, was also present and explained the organisation’s vision, mission, and objectives.
She elaborated on the transformative changes brought about in schools through alumni contributions.
During the presentation, officials briefed the delegation on various initiatives undertaken under Panchasakha Shikhya Setu, including CSR-supported programmes, heritage schools, Chief Minister’s Education Awards, school safety and maintenance measures, aspirational curriculum initiatives, and other developmental activities.
Ms Priya Khan appreciated the comprehensive approach adopted by PSS and engaged in discussions comparing the education systems of Maharashtra and Odisha.
In the afternoon, the delegation visited Badagada High School and Kushabhadra High School at Banamalipur, where they observed various infrastructure and academic improvements achieved through alumni support.
The team also interacted with former students to understand their role in driving the school’s development.
The visit concluded with the delegation expressing keen interest in adopting similar alumni-driven school development models in Maharashtra.