Daringbadi: The miserable state of affairs prevailing in most government-run schools in inaccessible areas of Daringbadi block in tribal-dominated Kandhamal district is taking a heavy toll on the quality of education offered to underprivileged students.
While shortage of teachers is to be blamed at some schools, many teachers choose to remain absent from duty which is adding to the woes of students. With the schools remaining closed half of the month and teachers often bunking classes without accountability, what is in store for these poor children in future is anybody’s guess. The teachers are able to get away with truancy because the schools are in remote areas.
Take the case of Kadipanga Primary School under Partamaha panchayat of Daringbadi block. Though the school is just 30km away from the block headquarters, not even a single official has put his/her foot in the village and enquired about the school condition.
Taking advantage, teachers appointed in the school do not show up half of the month. Other days, they just come for namesake at 11AM and wrap up by 2PM, the locals complained. “We are forced to send our children to other schools and place them in hostels due to the truant teachers in our village,” locals Jinati Digal and Karsi Pradhan said.
Most of the time, the students accompany their parents to work. They go to collect firewood, forest produce and help their parents in farmlands. Even after repeated complaints, neither the CRCC nor BEO have come to take stock of the situation, Pradhan added.
When contacted, the school committee president Dharmendra Pradhan said only two teachers were appointed in the school, including the headmistress. Half of the month, they do not show up. Other times, they come for a few hours but collect signatures from the locals to draw their salary, Pradhan added.
When contacted, Daringbadi Block Education Officer (BEO) Purendra Behera said that he was not aware of the school situation and would take action after a probe. PNN
