DINESH MISHRA, OP
Raurkela: The state government has implemented several schemes to improve elementary education, but poor infrastructure and staffing deficiencies continue to affect schools. One such example is the Government Primary School (Durgapur-B) at Leprosy Colony of the Malgodown slum under Ward 20 of the Raurkela Municipal Corporation.
The school, established in 1971, is facing a shortage of teachers, classrooms and other basic facilities like toilets, prompting concern among parents.
Once having 72 students, the school now has 46 students from Shishu Vatika to Class V, including 26 girls and 20 boys.
The school earlier had two teachers.
About three months back, one teacher retired, and another was posted to the school on deputation.
However, the deputed teacher has not been attending school since joining. As a result, the head master is teaching all the students.
Parents said it is difficult for one teacher to manage classes for so many children. The school has only one room where students from Shishu Vatika to Class V are forced to study together.
Moreover, the school office also runs from a small, cramped room.
The school also lacks benches and desks, forcing students to sit on tarpaulins and mats spread on the floor.
There is no electricity connection, while cracks have developed on the walls of the school building.
The school has neither toilets nor a playground.
Students use a nearby community toilet when needed.
There is also no drinking water facility on the school premises, adding to the problems faced by students and teachers.
Students have to walk to a nearby tube well to wash their hands and faces after the midday meal (MDM).
In the absence of a boundary wall, garbage is being dumped around the school, leaving the surroundings polluted.
Stray animals also frequently enter the school premises and defecate and urinate there, further affecting hygiene.
Although parents have drawn the administration’s attention to the problems, no solution has been found so far.
Speaking about the school’s problems, school management committee executive president Lohara Tiga said repeated complaints had been submitted to the Block Education Officer (BEO), but no action has been taken so far.
He said the school’s problems need to be resolved immediately.
Former student Deepak Barla said he was among the first students of the school.
At that time, the school had three asbestos-roofed classrooms.
While the education system has improved significantly in recent years, the condition of the school has deteriorated, he said, adding that the school lacks even basic facilities for students, depriving them of a proper learning environment.
A parent alleged that Rs 7 lakh to Rs 10 lakh had been sanctioned from the MLA Local Area Development (MLA LAD) fund for infrastructure work at the school.
However, the contractor allegedly carried out substandard work and misappropriated the funds. Headmaster Dillip Kumar Dhal said the Education Department’s senior officials had been informed about the school’s problems.
He said renovation work at the school is expected to begin by November.
Sundargarh District Education Officer (DEO) Muralidhar Behera said the BEO would be informed about the problems at the school.
After the BEO conducts an inquiry into the actual condition of the school, appropriate steps will be taken soon, he said.