By PREMANANDA KHAMARI, OP
Baragada: A lack of classrooms and basic infrastructure has affected teaching and learning at Kandadangar Nodal Upper Primary School in Jharbandh block of Baragada district, a school with an 86-year history. Established in 1940, the school currently has 88 students, down from 104 last year, from Shishu Vatika to Class VIII.
However, the school has only six rooms in two blocks, of which only two are in good condition. The remaining rooms with damaged doors and missing windows require frequent repairs. Water also reportedly leaks through the roofs during rains.
Students of Shishu Vatika, Classes I and II are taught in one room, while Classes III and IV share another. Students of Classes VII and VIII also attend lessons in a single room. Another room with a damaged tiled roof is being used as a kitchen, forcing students to have their midday meals on mats laid on the verandah.
The shortage of desks and benches has also forced several students to sit on the floor. The school has no separate office room, with part of the Class VII and VIII classroom being used as the office. The school also lacks a complete boundary wall. While the front portion has a wall, the other three sides remain open, raising concerns over students’ safety.
There is no playground either. Drinking water remains another concern. Though a borewell has been dug, it is not functional. Water supplied through a panchayat pipeline is stored in a leaking tank. Water is not regularly available in the toilets for boys and girls.
Teachers also do not have a separate toilet. Villager Sarang Sahu said residents have repeatedly demanded a boundary wall and more teachers but no substantial action has followed. Headmaster Trilochan Bar iha said the authorities have been informed about the prob lems.
An allocation of Rs 1.5 lakh has been received from School and Mass Education department funds for repair of the asbestos roof. Block Education Officer (BEO) Shubham Kumar Pati said the boundary wall would be constructed from the panchayat funds and steps were being taken to appoint another teacher.
Sarpanch Sunil Kumar Ray said a land dispute had delayed construction of the boundary wall. He said the boundary would be demarcated and the issue resolved, following which construction would be taken up.
School management committee president Nilamani Barik said the school needs more teachers and additional classrooms besides a boundary wall. He said the committee had apprised the sarpanch and departmental officials of the requirements.