Keonjhar: The Odisha government has implemented a host of measures to improve primary education for kids. Mid-day meal, free dresses, bicycles for girl students and other steps to arrest the drop-out rate among children have been implemented. But a severe crunch of teachers has affected primary education in Keonjhar district.
The sorry state of affairs in education is reflected from the fact that 380 primary schools in the district are run by only one teacher each. What is more shocking is that 19 of these schools do not have any teacher at all. This has led to an increase in the drop-out rate.
According to reports, as shortage of teachers has been plaguing the schools over the years, primary education has been badly affected. In 13 blocks of the district, only one teacher manages the education of kids in 380 schools each. As per official guidelines, at least two teachers are required in a primary school.
There are no teachers in three schools in Anadadapur block, four schools in Champua block, three in Ghatagaon block, one in Harichandanpur block; three in Hatadihi block, one in Jhumpura, three in Saharapada and one in Telkoi block.
It was learnt that 12 teachers from some schools (now being run by a solitary teacher) are on deputation. They will be transferred to other schools soon.
District education officer Purnachandra Sethi said that considering the student-teacher ratio in some schools, a number of teachers will be transferred to schools where there are none.