By Pramod Kumar Bohidar, OP
Sambalpur: The 112-year-old Khandual Government Upgraded High School under the Sambalpur Municipal Corporation (SMC) has seen a sharp drop in enrolment owing to poor infrastructure and a shortage of teachers gripping the institution.
Established as a primary school in 1914, it was upgraded to a upper primary school in 1976 and received high school status in 2008. The school now has 195 students from Sishu Vatika through Class X.
Students come from over eight nearby villages, including Maneswar, Khandual, Mathapali, Naksapali, Gunderpur, Bargaon and Chhatabar. However, deteriorating infrastructure appears to be prompting students to turn away.
The school once had more than 350 students, but enrolment has been declining gradually. Four of the school’s eight classrooms and the teachers’ common room are in an unsafe condition.
Shishu Vatika and Classes I and II are taught together in one room, while Classes IV and V share another. Separate classrooms are available only for Classes VI through X. The shortage of teachers is another concern. Only two teachers are available for 77 primary-level students, seriously affecting classroom teaching at the foundational level. Though the school also has a computer room equipped with 10 desktops, no computer teacher has been appointed.
Students are also deprived of vocational and physical education teachers. The school lacks a playground and an auditorium. Under the 5T Initiative, the school was transformed in 2022 at an estimated cost of about Rs 55 lakh.
Two smart classrooms, a science laboratory, an e-library, computers and toilets were added as part of the project. Despite the improvements, basic infrastructure and staffing gaps continue to affect the school. Some students said the school has too few classrooms, and the lack of repair has made it difficult to attend classes.
During the rainy season, water leaks through the asbestos roofs, soaking books and other study materials and disrupting classes. School management committee chairperson Chandrakanta Dash said the shortage of teachers and the deteriorating condition of the classrooms were affecting teaching. She said complaints had been submitted several times to officials ranging from the Block Development Officer (BDO) to the District Education Officer (DEO), but no action had been taken.
She demanded that the existing infrastructure be repaired as soon as possible and additional teachers be appointed. Headmaster Kulamani Das said the school had repeatedly informed the BDO, DEO and other senior officials in writing about the need for new classrooms, a playground and more teachers, but the problems remained unresolved.
DEO Lakshman Bhoi said infrastructure development and repair work would begin soon. On the Collector’s direction, a senior technical consultant will inspect the school, after which the required infrastructure will be developed using Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds or other government funds.
Bhoi said no separate post has been sanctioned for a computer teacher, so existing teachers have been trained and assigned to teach computer education. Maneswar BEO Lokita Dash said she had not received any written complaint about the school’s poor condition.
She said infrastructure development falls under the school management committee. If it submits a written proposal or complaint, it will be forwarded to the District Project Coordinator and district Collector for approval and necessary action.