Bhubaneswar: To revive traditional and indigenous games, Odisha govt has decided to introduce these games in govt schools where children will indulge in it on a daily basis. School and mass education department has identified 75 traditional games for the purpose.
The decision comes at a time when schools are observing education week on four years of implementation of National Education Policy-2020.“The traditional games are not only treasure troves of culture and tradition, but they teach life lessons to children like teamwork, cooperation, strategy as well as physical coordination and mental alertness. With advent of technology, children are spending more time on gadgets and computers instead of playing outside. Also rapid urbanization and vanishing playgrounds have made these games obsolete. These traditional games will help in their physical and mental growth,” said a senior officer in the school and mass education department.
The programme will include an array of games, ranging from traditional sports like kabaddi and kho-kho to lesser-known regional games such as gilli-danda, pithoo, rumal chori, puchi khela and many indoor games like carrom, ludo, snake and ladder, among others.
The focus is on local games and sports that are likely to vanish soon. The govt has asked physical education teachers (PET) not to consider sports as a means of physical training rather to inculcate interest for sports among children from a young age.
On Thursday, a competition-cum-exhibition of traditional games was organised in different schools as part of the week. “Children enjoyed playing the games. Many of them had never played these games, which are very interesting and entertaining. The NEP-2020 has included indigenous and traditional games in the curriculum giving equal emphasis to physical and mental growth of children,” said Rupesh Panda, PET in a city school.

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