Odisha to include road safety in school curriculum

The Odisha government has decided to include road safety in the school curriculum from the academic session 2020-21 for class 10 students, an official said.

Odisha is among the top four states in the country where the maximum road accident deaths take place due to drunken driving.

"The students of class 10 will be imparted education on road safety. It is up to the experts in the education department as to how they incorporate it in the syllabus - in the form of a subject or a special chapter," Transport Commissioner Sanjeeb Panda said.

The School and Mass Education department will prepare the syllabus.

School and Mass Education Minister Samir Ranjan Dash said the syllabus for class 10 students for the 2020-21 academic year has already been prepared.

"We will find out on how to incorporate the road safety subject in it," Dash said on Thursday.

The transport commissioner said education on road safety will help students know and follow traffic rules.

It would also create a culture among them with good attitudes and skills, Panda said.

Students will be educated on traffic signals, administering first aid after accidents, rules to be followed while riding a motorcycle and crossing a road, the importance of wearing helmets and seat belts and road safety laws.