Bahanaga: As many as 124 men and women got an opportunity to learn various trades at a state open school established on the premises of a high school under this block in Balasore district.
A feeling of excitement marked the environment as the adult students attended classes which started from November 1 under the guidance of selected teachers from various schools. The students attending classes were mostly from Mayurbhanj, Bhadrak and Balasore districts.
While a majority of the students were school dropouts, a few of them were illiterate. The school is part of an initiative of the state government to impart teaching to adults through opening schooling system. While the first phase admission is over the second phase admission started from November 1 and will get completed by December 31.
The open school is being jointly managed by Orissa Secondary School Mission and National Open School said, Jeetendra Behera, headmaster of Bahanaga High School and coordinator of this open school. The admission to this school is open for students above 14 years of age or those who have left school after completing Class-IV. Those students can get themselves admitted in this school and can obtain certificates after appearing an examination, he said.
A student interested to pass the examination can appear the examination for a maximum of nine times in a period of five years, he said.
Classes are being held on government holidays, Saturdays and Sundays, Behera said. PNN