Malkangiri: Sarva Sikhya Abhiyan, the flagship programme of the Union government aimed at ensuring universal elementary education, has turned out to be a joke in the cut-off regions of this district where many primary schools are being used as cowsheds, according to a report.
Earlier, all the primary schools of the region were located in Kudumulugumma block. Later, Chitrakonda became a block comprising several panchayats of Kudumulugumma, Korukonda and Kalimela blocks.
However, the office of the block education officer (BEO) is yet to be shifted to Chitrakonda, the newly formed block, even as most of the schools now function under its jurisdiction.
The panchayats under Chitrakonda block include – Badapadar, Andrapali, Papular, Kurmanur, Nuaguda, Gundabeda, Doraguda, Chitrakonda, Dhuniput and Gajalmamudi. Schools in most of these panchayats continue to remain under the jurisdiction of Kudumulugumma BEO office. The state education department runs 11 schools in Andrapali, 13 in Panasput, nine in Jodamba, 17 in Ralegada, seven in Badapada, 11 in Paparmetla and 16 schools in Badapadar.
Though a total of 306 teachers have been appointed in these schools, the number is still short by more than a hundred if government guidelines are taken into account. There are 23 Middle English schools in the block but the teachers play truant most of the time, leaving classrooms to be used as cattle sheds by the villagers.
For example, the school set up in 1988 at Kodigandhi school under Andrapali panchayat has been turned into a shed for farm animals. Teachers never turn up in this school to take classes, the villagers alleged.
When contacted, additional BEO Ranjan Choudhury said a teacher and a shikhya sahayak have been appointed in the school. However, it becomes difficult to go for an inspection on a regular basis as the school is located in the cut-off region, admitted Choudhury.
About 90 per cent of the schools face similar situations and teachers get their salaries without taking classes, Shukra Muduli, Dhana Khara and Shiva Muduli of Kadibandhi village alleged.
Similarly, there are schools in Tatipar, Shuapali, Sunamugie, Chakurupali villages, but only on paper. The kids are taught either under trees or on verandahs of private houses in the absence of buildings.
Locals have urged the administration to facilitate proper education facility for the children in the wake of people getting sandwiched in clashes between the police and Maoists. PNN
