Deprived Schools: Dilapidated infra disrupts classes

By HARSHABARDHAN BEHERA/ SUBHASISH ROUT, OP

Jajpur/Kalinganagar: A severe shortage of classrooms, dilapidated buildings and other infrastructure gaps have disrupted teaching at Panchayat High School in Salijanga under Danagadi block in Jajpur district’s Kalinganagar industrial area. The school has 197 students in Classes XI and X. Given the enrolment, each class should ideally have at least two sections.

However, due to a shortage of classrooms, students of both classes are forced to sit together in a single room, resulting in overcrowding and affecting the teaching-learning process. The school library and other classrooms are in a deplorable condition.

Their roofs have developed cracks allowing rainwater to seep in, while the walls have weakened, posing a serious safety risk. The shortage of teachers, coupled with inadequate infrastructure, has further affected academic activities, triggering resentment among parents. Established in 1984, the fully-aided school has faced continued neglect by the authorities, villagers alleged.

It was earlier included in the 5T initiative, under which around Rs 50 lakh was sanctioned for infrastructure development. The funds were used to renovate two classrooms, including ceiling work, installation of fans, smart blackboards and floor tiles. However, the ceiling of one classroom has since deteriorated and become unsafe.

As a result, only one classroom is currently usable. An alternative arrangement was proposed to hold classes in a room at an upper primary and ME school around 200 metres away. However, the plan could not be implemented as students would have faced difficulties commuting between the two schools. The school currently has six teachers and one peon.

Although the boundary wall and drinking water facilities are in satisfactory condition, it lacks a separate kitchen for preparing midday meals. Food is cooked on the school verandah, where students also sit and eat. The school has two separate toilets for its large student population, which they say are inadequate.

The school management committee and villagers have repeatedly approached the local minister and district administration, demanding the appointment of additional teachers and construction of new classrooms.

However, their demands have yet to yield any results. School management committee president Basanta Kumar Das said students are facing difficulties due to a shortage of classrooms. Despite funds being available with the District Mineral Foundation (DMF) and the Odisha Mineral Bearing Areas Development Corporation (OMBADC), no attention is being paid to the development of the school. Repeated appeals to higher authorities have gone unheeded, he said.

Das said the students were keen to pursue their studies, but the Education Department had completely failed to provide them with the necessary learning environment. Headmaster Balabhadra Swain said the authorities had been informed about the need to repair the school building and construct additional classrooms.

When contacted, Danagadi Block Development Officer (BDO) Pradeep Kumar Sethi said no funds were available for the school’s development. He added that if any classroom was in a dilapidated and unsafe condition, it could be demolished.

The administrative authorities’ response has triggered resentment among local residents. Parents have demanded immediate construction of new classrooms and filling of vacant teaching posts, citing the safety of students and the future of academically promising children.