Dikhyaa Mohanty 
In a significant step towards promoting education in the mother tongue, the Higher Education Department and Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on June 9 to offer several IGNOU courses in Odia. As part of this initiative, the Diploma in Early Childhood Care and Education (DECE) has been translated into Odia and the course material was officially released today by Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida and Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj.
The DECE course, which was previously offered in English, Hindi, and Tamil, is now offered in Odia, which makes it simpler for Anganwadi workers, trainers, and early childhood educators to obtain the certificate in their mother tongue. Using textbooks, audio cassettes, and video lessons, the one-year curriculum integrates both theoretical and practical learning with an emphasis on early childhood education, child health, and nutrition.
Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida, who was the program’s chief guest, stated that the implementation of DECE in Odia is a positive development. Preschool teachers and Anganwadi workers and trainers would especially benefit from this, as they may now take the course in their mother tongue (Odia). Learning will be easier and more accessible if the curriculum is made available in Odia, she continued. Private playschools, nonprofit organizations, and people and organizations interested in nutrition and child education will also find the training beneficial.
Early education is the cornerstone of the entire educational system, and bolstering it guarantees a strong framework for education as a whole, said Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj. Teachers, trainers, and other early education professionals will be able to impart knowledge using straightforward and useful techniques thanks to the DECE course that IGNOU is offering. He further emphasized that the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 places a strong focus on advancing education in the mother tongue at higher levels and bolstering early education. By encouraging innovation and bolstering grassroots education, learning in one’s mother tongue helps realize the vision of “Education for All.”
