Bhadrak: The government spends crores of rupees on computer education, but the programme has gone awry in Bhadrak district. If lack of electricity is a hurdle in some schools, computers are gathering dust for want of teachers and basic facilities in some others.
Reports said, computers have been provided to some primary and upper primary schools, but none has checked whether the computers were in working condition or not.
In most schools, computer education is confined to textbooks. Students have no practical knowledge as there are no computer teachers. Guardians and conscious citizens want to know why computers have been provided to schools without teachers and what purpose they are serving.
In August 2016, computers were supplied to 17 schools with MPLAD funds. The primary schools that have computers include Tagira, Rahanja Asura and Rameswar Jew; Banitia Jayram Upper Primary School, Nalgara Tigiria Harijansahi Project Primary School, Bant Padhanpada Panchayat High School, Basudevpur Madhusudan Government Upper Primary School and Kismatkrushnapur Upper Primary School.
Each school was provided with five computers, a printer, chairs and necessary equipment. However, these computers have been of no use to students in nine schools since then as there is no power supply.
Besides, computers have been stored in office rooms of Madhusudan Government Upper Primary School at Natiapal and Kismatkrushnapur Upper Primary School because they have no computer classrooms.
Each school has computers and peripherals worth Rs 3.50 lakh gathering dust while the Education Department is taking no step to push computer education. Sadly, it hasn’t held even a review meeting to set things right.
“This is completely unfortunate when the department concerned is least worried about computer education,” said educationist Ramkrushna Choudhry.
District Education Officer Sangram Sahu seems to have pushed the onus on the MP, saying that computers had been supplied with funds from MPLAD.
“The MP or his representative should have checked the necessary facilities at these schools before supplying computers. Still, the district administration will take steps to ensure computer education in these schools,” the DEO said.
PNN
