Nayagarh: Flying in the face of the state government’s claims of laying priority on education, high school students are being taught by primary school teachers here at Guanda village of Goudaput panchayat under Odagaon block in Nayagarh district.
Due to the messy condition of the education system, seven students out of 12 failed in Class-X last year. This is not a one-off case. There are several underlying issues to the crisis. The Class-IX students are taught in the school verandah while they have their midday meals in the campus under the open sky. However, no action was taken in this regard by the administration.
Founded in 1954, the school was upgraded during 2013 as a UGUP School. Though the school was upgraded, the students were still taught by the same teachers.
Sources said during 2015, a B Ed teacher of Arts stream was appointed at the school, yet he teaches his own subject whereas Science, Mathematics, Hindi and Sanskrit are taught by primary school teachers in turn. In a shocking revelation, four teachers are teaching 162 students in all 10 classes while only one teacher is appointed for 20 students in Class IX and X. This was cited as one of the main reasons why so many students failed in Class X last year.
On the other hand, students have their midday meals on the campus under the sky in an unhygienic atmosphere.
“We have drawn the attention of the DEO for appointment of teachers several times, but in vain,” headmaster Umakanta Pradhan said. On the other hand, locals demanded immediate appointment of teachers for the betterment of education at the school.
Construction of a new building is in progress which will solve the problem of shortage of classrooms. This apart, none of the teachers are showing interest in going to the school. The district lacks trained teachers for high school students, said the DEO.
It may be noted that several B Ed teachers are appointed in several primary schools on irregular basis whereas several high schools are experiencing need of trained teachers in the district, it was learnt. PNN
