ARINDAM GANGYULY, OP
Bhubaneswar: Although Odisha has made remarkable progress in strengthening school infrastructure, the Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE)+ 2025-26 report has flagged two major concerns—the existence of 1,458 single-teacher schools catering to 59,672 students and a steep decline in student retention at secondary level.
According to report, the 1,458 single-teacher schools across the state are responsible for educating nearly 60,000 students, raising concerns over the quality of classroom education.
Odisha has 3,41,909 teachers and an overall Pupil-Teacher Ratio (PTR) of 23:1, which is within the prescribed norms. However, the PTR rises from 8:1 at the foundational stage to 22:1 at the secondary level, indicating increased pressure on teachers in higher classes. However, all 61,594 schools have functional drinking water facilities.
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