Students of these model schools would get free education and all facilities like mid-day meal, uniform and textbooks free of cost like other state government-run schools.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik dedicated these schools to the people at a function at Sasan Ambagaon under his constituency Hinjli, about 35 km from here in Ganjam district.
"We hope the schools will fulfill the aspirations of rural talents. Students will not have to run to towns as they will get quality education from these schools in the villages," the Chief Minister said.
In the next phase, such schools would be set up in other districts soon, he assured.
Around 24,000 students have been enrolled in these schools. Girls constitute 50 per cent of them. Hostel facilities would be provided in each school from next year, School and Mass Education Minister Debi Prasad Mishra said.
The model schools have been developed on the lines of Kendriya Vidyalayas and students will study NCERT syllabus.
Besides text book education, students in model schools would be taught other co-curricular activities like information, communication and technology (ICT), art and craft, song, dance and sports. Odia would be one of the language subjects in English medium schools, Mishra said.
In future, skill-based education would be introduced in these schools, he said, adding that there would be student exchange programmes with other state-run high schools to improve the educational standards of students.
