By Harshabardhan Behera, OP
Jajpur: Despite various measures to improve education infrastructure, many schools in Jajpur district continue to lack basic facilities, including classrooms, toilets and drinking water. Azimabad Primary School in Sayedpur panchayat under Binjharpur block is a glaring example and a case in point.
The school, established in 1989 through efforts of local residents, was washed away into the Kharasrota river during the 1999 Super Cyclone. Keeping the students’ future in mind, the then headmistress, Zahara Begum, restarted classes in a nearby old dak bungalow of the Water Resources department.
Twenty-seven years later, the school continues to operate from the abandoned building, where students study in a dilapidated asbestos-roofed room. The unsafe condition of the building has raised concerns about the safety of students and teachers.
Forty-three students from kindergarten through Class V are studying at Azimabad Primary School, where classes, midday meals and office work are all conducted in a single asbestos-roofed room. The school is still located along the Kharasrota river, leaving students vulnerable throughout the year. During the monsoon, the situation becomes more precarious as floodwaters inundate the school premises.
The lack of proper infrastructure in schools has been a longstanding concern in the district. A case was filed before the Odisha Human Rights Commission in 2016 over inadequate facilities in schools. The commission had directed the Odisha Primary Education Programme Authority to take necessary measures to address such problems. However, the condition of Azimabad Primary School highlights that basic infrastructure still eludes several schools in the district.
Two teachers are posted at the school. The building lacks adequate toilets and drinking water facilities for both students and teachers. The walls, roof, floor, doors and windows of the classroom have deteriorated badly. Even light rain disrupts classes as water enters the building, leaving students and teachers in fear.
The school has reportedly received no funds for repairs for several years. Residents have accused the district education department of failing to address the problem.
Headmaster Kalamulla Khan said students were being forced to study in extremely unsafe conditions. He urged the government to provide permanent land, construct a new school building and ensure basic facilities for the students.
Parent Sanjay Kumar Sahu said the school was operating without basic amenities. There is no permanent road to the school, forcing students to walk through sand and mud throughout the year. Rainwater also enters the school premises, he said.
Binjharpur Block Education Officer Santanu Mallik said he learned about the school’s problems from the media and would investigate the matter. He said an application would soon be submitted to the tehsildar seeking permanent land for the school.
District Education Officer Maheswar Sahu said he was unaware of the school’s condition. He assured that the matter would be examined and necessary action taken promptly.
