From Chalkboards to Communities
For too long, classrooms have been boxed into chalk-and-talk routines, rigid syllabi, and standardised exams. But across 80 schools in four tribal-dominated districts of Odisha, something different is taking shape. Classrooms are becoming kitchens, playgrounds, local markets, and storytelling corners. Students aren’t just studying lessons; they’re living them.
From setting up food stalls using family recipes to running weekday haats that mirror local markets, children are learning in ways that feel real, relevant, and rooted. In a school system often divorced from the lived realities of tribal communities, Project-Based Learning (PBL) is beginning to reconnect the dots between curriculum and culture, between textbooks and traditions.
A Shift Rooted in Identity and Imagination
Odisha is home to 62 officially recognised tribes and 22 tribal languages. It is one of India’s most culturally rich regions, but its schools haven’t always reflected that richness. The National Achievement Survey (NAS) 2021 revealed that students in tribal residential schools managed by the SC & ST Welfare Department (SSD) perform below the national average in foundational literacy and numeracy.
To bridge this gap, the SSD Department, along with Mantra4Change and the Education Above All Foundation (EAA), introduced Project-Based Learning in 80 residential schools across Keonjhar, Rayagada, Gajapati, and Mayurbhanj — with a clear goal: contextualise curriculum through culturally responsive pedagogy.
The PBL initiative places students at the centre of the learning process, encouraging them to apply concepts from textbooks to real-life contexts — often drawn from their homes, communities, and cultural practices.
Learning by Doing, Leading by Learning
This pilot program, introduced in the 2024–25 academic year, targeted students in Grades 7 and 8, focusing on Social Science and Odia. But what unfolded went far beyond any single subject.
Across these schools, nearly 11,000 students led over 1,500 projects — each one a small act of imagination and inquiry. More than 230 teachers underwent training, joined regular learning circles, and used curated resources to support classroom execution. Despite challenges like large class sizes and limited materials, teachers improvised, collaborated, and kept the student at the centre.
Here’s a glimpse of what this looked like on the ground.
The Weekday Haat: Reimagining Social Science
Class 8 | Subject: Social Science
“The students worked with great enthusiasm. With over 100 children in a class, we often work in groups outside the classroom. Materials are either collected from the surrounding area or provided by us. Despite all odds, the students are always eager to learn and build.” — [Sanjukta Nundruka (Assistant Teacher)]
This wasn’t just an academic exercise. It was an opportunity to connect textbook economics to the local economy, to value traditional trades, and to see how community knowledge shapes livelihoods.
Culture on a Plate: The Food Stall Project
Class 7 | Subject: Odia
Language learning found its way to the kitchen in this beautiful project. Students teamed up with their elders and hostel cooks to recreate traditional recipes, such as Tilau Pitha. They documented the cooking process, drew illustrations of the ingredients, noted their health benefits, and even created a class cookbook.
“Students brought vegetables and fruits traded by their families. They showcased goods and skills that are slowly disappearing. We saw them shift from textbook memorisation to experiential learning. Their confidence grew with every step.” — [Shri Surendra Acharya (Headmaster)]
What emerged was more than a collection of recipes — it was a compilation of family memories, community wisdom, and cultural pride.
Young Ecologists: The Biodiversity Survey
Grades 6 to 8 | Subject: Science | Eco-Club
In this four-day exploration, students became nature detectives. They mapped their school surroundings, observed birds and insects, interviewed elders, and learned how tribal crafts reflect ecological knowledge. Instead of reading about biodiversity in a textbook, they experienced it through their senses — smell, sound, sight, and touch.
Waste Scavengers: Learning from What We Throw Away
Grades 6 to 8 | Subject: Science | Eco-Club
This project encouraged students to look closely at waste, not as trash, but as a resource. They sorted it, set up composting pits using cow dung, ash, and leaves, reviving practices used by their grandparents. They monitored decomposition, kept journals, and reflected on how to reduce waste in school.
It wasn’t just science. It was sustainability, stewardship, and intergenerational learning, all rolled into one.
When the Walls Speak: BaLA in Action
In many schools, students learn even when teachers are busy elsewhere. Through the BaLA (Building as Learning Aid) approach, school walls now feature puzzles, diagrams, local stories, and games. In under-resourced schools, where a single teacher often juggles multiple grades, these walls become silent facilitators, inviting students to explore and engage independently.
Teachers Who Took the Leap
Initially, teachers had doubts. How would they finish the syllabus? Where would they find resources? Would the students take it seriously?
But slowly, classrooms began to change. Teachers reorganised their rooms, formed student groups, and trusted the process. And what they saw surprised them.
“Group discussions have changed the game. Students clear each other’s doubts, retain more, and develop leadership. They volunteer to lead, take charge of group work — it’s clear they’re learning far beyond academics.” — Sagarika Sahoo, Assistant Teacher
Over 87% of participating teachers reported improved engagement and learning outcomes. More than 70% of students actively participated in group projects, demonstrating enhanced critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
And most telling of all, 75% of teachers said they want to continue using PBL methods in the future.
Structures That Support Learning
Behind the scenes, a thoughtful ecosystem supported this transformation. Teachers received two rounds of in-person training. Learning circles — 8 sessions across 32 batches — provided regular support. Self-learning resources, videos, and journals helped teachers stay on track. District officials, headmasters, and cluster inspectors made regular visits, ensuring that implementation wasn’t left to chance.
A nine-member task force supported content design and validation. Internal assessments even showed a 29% increase in conceptual understanding among teachers, with an overall satisfaction score of 4.2 out of 5.
Learning That Stays
What’s happening in Odisha through this PBL initiative isn’t just a pedagogical shift. It’s a cultural one. It’s about reclaiming education as something that belongs to children, rooted in their soil, spoken in their language, shaped by their rhythms.
When a Grade 7 student uses her grandmother’s recipe to write a language assignment…
When a Grade 8 boy explains industry classification by managing a market stall…
When a teacher with limited materials brings a classroom alive with questions and collaboration…
…it shows us what’s possible when learning honours identity, curiosity, and community.
Project-Based Learning in Odisha is more than a pilot. It’s a reminder: when learning starts from the lives children live, it doesn’t just teach — it stays.
Contributors:
By A. Krishnamohan,
Director of Public Libraries, A.P
Former Secretary, MJPAPBCWREIS
With inputs from
Divyah Paga,
PGT English, MJP Vemuladeevi School