Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Tuesday reviewed the ‘Jadu Pedi’ (Magic Box) learning kits, aimed at fostering joyful and experiential learning for students in Shishu Vatika, Class 1, and Class 2.
Developed by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) under the framework of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the kits are designed to encourage children to learn through play, using culturally relevant and familiar materials.
Chairing a review meeting at Lok Seva Bhawan, the Chief Minister expressed satisfaction with the initiative, describing the kits as an “innovative and engaging tool that will make learning more enjoyable for young children.”
“These learning toys will help young children learn through play, using materials familiar to their surroundings. This will make learning more engaging and enjoyable for them,” said CM Majhi.
The initiative is being spearheaded by the School and Mass Education Department, with Commissioner-cum-Secretary Shalini Pandit briefing the Chief Minister on the structure, purpose, and educational significance of the kits.
Each ‘Jadu Pedi’ kit costs approximately ₹20,000, and the state government plans to distribute them to 45,000 schools, covering a wide spectrum of early learners across Odisha. The total project cost is pegged at ₹90 crore, with the goal of developing foundational literacy, numeracy, and cognitive skills through interactive, play-based tools.
Targeting children aged 3 to 8 years, the kits align with the National Curriculum Framework for the Foundational Stage (NCF-FS) 2022, which emphasizes that children learn best through activities such as talking, drawing, painting, dancing, singing, and playing.
The kits come packed with playbooks, toys, puzzles, posters, flashcards, storybooks, and worksheets, all carefully designed to reflect local culture, languages, and social contexts. Available in 13 Indian languages, they cater to the diverse learning needs of children across the country.
Originally launched in February 2023 by Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, the kits promote the concept of ‘Learning through Play’ and are recognized as a key tool to support foundational stage education in alignment with NEP 2020 goals.
