Balasore: Kasipada Panchayat High School in Balasore district is functioning without any permanent teachers, a source said Monday.
According to the source, the high school was included under the 5T initiative in 2022-23 academic session. However, the institution — which was established in 1980 — currently functions with two peons and two temporary teachers.
The source further informed that from 2017 to June 2023, two science teachers, three art teachers, one Sanskrit teacher, one Hindi teacher, and one physical education teacher got retired. Headmaster Parshuram Behera retired June 30 this year. Between 2017 and June 2023, not a single permanent teacher was posted here, the source added.
The school management committee, former student council, and the previous Headmaster had informed the higher authorities, district administration, and DEO (District Education Officer) about the teacher shortage issue. A written complaint was submitted at the district collectorate office regarding this matter.
Following the complaint, the Collector, through a letter, directed the DEO to appoint teachers for the school.
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Afterwards, the DEO appointed four teachers from other schools to Kasipada Panchayat High School as a stop-gap arrangement. It is also alleged that two out of the four temporarily appointed teachers defied the orders by the DEO. Out of remaining two teachers, one comes three days a week while the other teaches six days a week, the source said.
Students and their parents raised concerns over the teacher shortage issue in high school. They also warned to stage a protest in case of non-recruitment of permanent teachers.
It can be mentioned here that around 228 students are enrolled in the high school from Class-VIII to Class-X in the ongoing academic session.
PNN