NARESH CHANDRA PATTANAYAK, OP
Kendujhar: Police Line Primary School in the district headquarters town of Kendujhar is facing severe infrastructure gaps and staffing shortages, prompting parents to enrol their children elsewhere.
Established in 1950, the school currently has 34 students from Class I to V.
Its old classroom buildings are reportedly in an unsafe condition, forcing all five classes to operate from a single room.
The room also serves as the school office and store, while students are often compelled to attend classes on the verandah.
The school has only two teachers, including the headmistress, to teach all five classes. Students have no desks or chairs and sit on the floor.
Conducting multiple classes in the same room has also affected teaching and made it difficult for students to follow their lessons.
Parents had hoped the situation would improve after Gujarati Primary School and Samantraypur Primary School were merged with Police Line Primary School under the government’s school merger programme.
However, infrastructure development has not followed the merger, they said.
The school also lacks adequate space and playground facilities. Construction of an Anwesha hostel building on the premises has further reduced the available area.
Although toilets and drinking water facilities are available, the campus is poorly maintained, with overgrown vegetation posing a threat of reptiles, particularly during the rainy season.
A large tree on the premises is also considered unsafe. Despite the Forest Department being informed, it has not yet been removed, posing a risk to students, residents said.
Headmistress Gouri Modi said the Education Department had been informed several times about the problems and officials had visited the school to assess the situation.
However, no steps had been taken to provide additional teachers or improve the infrastructure.
She said declining attendance had made it difficult to conduct classes despite education being provided free of cost.
Former school committee member Rajlaxmi Mukhi said around 40 students were enrolled three years ago, but many parents had since shifted their children to other schools because of the inadequate facilities.
Former student and retired professor Dr Bimbadhar Behera said the school once had a large number of students, many of whom later secured good jobs.
He expressed concern over its present condition despite its proximity to the district Collectorate and office of the District Education Officer and urged the authorities to take immediate remedial measures.
Block Education Officer (BEO) Omkar Anwesh said the school receives Rs20,000 annually for drinking water, toilets and related requirements based on enrolment, besides Rs2,000 for cleanliness.
However, no funds have been provided for infrastructure development, he said