Nandapur: A severe shortage of education officers has exposed serious administrative gaps in the school education system across Koraput district, with a single Assistant Block Education Officer (ABEO) overseeing nearly 200 institutions in Nandapur block alone.
The lone woman ABEO is currently responsible for 197 educational institutions spread across 23 panchayats in Nandapur block, catering to more than 16,000 students.
These institutions include 137 primary schools, 34 upper primary schools, 21 high schools, five higher secondary schools and one Odisha Adarsha Vidyalaya.
As the block resource centre coordinator, the officer supervises 13 clusters, oversees more than 700 teachers, monitors mid-day meal (MDM) operations in 190 schools, conducts school inspections and manages departmental training programmes, meetings and other administrative responsibilities.
The situation reflects a broader staffing crisis in the Koraput district, which has 14 blocks. Of these, only six blocks have regular Block Education Officers (BEOs), while the remaining eight are being managed by officials holding additional charge.
Although provisions exist for appointing three ABEOs per block — 42 in total across the district — only 17 ABEOs are currently in position, leaving 25 posts vacant.
In several cases, Level-IV headmasters from upper primary and secondary schools have been assigned ABEO responsibilities in addition to their regular teaching duties.
These include academic instruction, supervision of MDM, school monitoring and coordination of departmental training programmes.
Educationists warn that such dual responsibilities highlight the fragile and understaffed condition of the education department in the district.
The problem has been exacerbated since May 2025, when the then Nandapur BEO Bhabani Nandan Pattnaik was transferred to the Semiliguda block. No full-time replacement has since been appointed, and Pattnaik has been asked to hold an additional charge.
Two of the three sanctioned ABEO posts in Nandapur are also vacant following one retirement in April 2025 and another recent transfer, leaving the entire administrative burden on ABEO Mamtaj Gomang.
With teacher training under the National Education Policy having begun February 4 and upcoming responsibilities related to the census and panchayat elections, education experts fear the acute staff shortage will adversely affect classroom teaching, school management, training schedules and MDM implementation.
District education office sources said eight blocks — Nandapur, Bandhugaon, Borigumma, Dasmantpur, Koraput, Narayanpatna, Laxmipur and Pottangi — currently have vacant BEO posts.
To manage day-to-day operations, three additional district education officers (ADEOs), three BEOs from neighbouring blocks and two headmistresses of high schools have been assigned dual charge.
Officials said the staffing crisis and urgent requirements have been formally communicated to the District Collector and the state School and Mass Education (S&ME) department.
Local educationists, parents and civil society members have expressed hope that the state government will take immediate steps to address the crisis, particularly as the School and Mass Education Minister hails from the undivided Koraput district.