By Prabhat Panigrahi, OP
Khordha: More than 25 students from Madhapur, a tribal-dominated village under Begunia block in Khordha district, risk their lives every day by walking along narrow field embankments to reach school, highlighting the difficulties caused by the closure of their village primary school.
Carrying books and dreams of a better future, the children negotiate muddy, uneven paths and narrow embankments, where a minor slip could result in injuries. Despite the risks, they continue using the route to attend classes. The primary school in Madhapur had only 22 students before the Covid-19 pandemic. Citing low enrolment, the authorities closed the school and merged it with Kushpala Primary School, about 3 km away.
However, parents were reluctant to send their children to Kushpala because they would have to cross a road to reach the school. Following the closure of the village school, parents enrolled their children at Badaberana Primary School. Currently, more than 25 students from Madhapur attend schools in Badaberana. However, the distance exceeds 3 km if they take the paved road. To avoid the longer journey, the children have chosen a shortcut through agricultural fields. Students from Classes I to X use the hazardous route daily, walking along narrow embankments and muddy stretches.
A moment of carelessness could cause them to slip and suffer injuries. The situation has raised serious concerns among parents, who fear for their children’s safety while trying to ensure that their education continues. The closure of the village school and the absence of a safe, convenient route to alternative schools have compounded the difficulties faced by children in the tribal-dominated village. Although there is reportedly a provision to reimburse transportation expenses for students attending distant schools, many parents are unaware of the facility.
Villagers said they had repeatedly approached the administration seeking the reopening of Madhapur Primary School, but their appeals yielded no results. They expressed concern over the risks children face while travelling to school and questioned who would be held responsible if an accident occurred. Parent Babu Swain said his two children also use the hazardous route. “The main road is much longer, forcing children to take a shortcut along fi eld embankments. We constantly fear for their safety but have no option other than sending them to school, trusting God to protect them,” he said, demanding the reopening of the village school.
Begunia Jana Adhikar Mancha president Akshaya Routray described the situation as alarming and urged public representatives and the district administration to intervene immediately. Begunia resident Shiva Muni said the school was closed citing low attendance, forcing children to take dangerous shortcuts. He demanded that the government immediately arrange safe transportation for students.
Begunia Block Education Officer Arnab Beura said he was unaware of the issue as he had recently assumed charge. He acknowledged that provisions existed to cover transportation expenses for children attending distant schools following the closure of their village schools. However, he said the lack of clear government guidelines had created difficulties in implementing the provision. Beura said he would bring the matter to the attention of higher authorities if villagers submitted a written complaint. Khordha Collector Amrit Ruturaj said he had just learned about the situation and assured that necessary steps would be taken soon.