Keonjhar: More than 5,000 students studying in 40 fully-aided schools in this district are facing a bleak future due to lack of adequate number of teachers, sources said. Most of these schools have two to three teachers while the required number is much more. Many teachers have retired, but no fresh appointment has been made in their places. Studies in most of these schools have come to a halt due to lack of teachers in subjects like Science, Hindi and Physical Education. Students who can afford private tuitions are opting for it, but those from poor financial backgrounds stare at an uncertain future. The government-aided SMR High School under Sadar block is a case in point.
Over 150 students study in this school which is managed by only two teachers. Many posts are lying vacant for years with no new appointments being made. The school has seven sanctioned teacher posts and five office staff including a clerk, peon and a watchman. However, only two teachers are working in the educational institution. School managing committee president Akshaya Kumar Moharana recently wrote to the district education officer (DEO) asking for the appointment of an IT teacher.
Similarly, there are only four teachers in Lakshmipata High School at Teronti, three teachers each in Khetramohan Vidyapitha at Salapada, GPM High School at Daradaipala, Palashpala High School in Revana and Brahmeswar High School at Khuntapada respectively. Classroom teaching has gone for a toss due to paucity of teachers. Parents alleged that while the state government is spending a lot in making classroom teaching attractive and upgrading the schools for betterment of students, fullyaided educational institutions are being overlooked and being given a short shrift.
Retired headmaster Ramesh Chandra Hota blamed the lack of fresh appointments for such a precarious situation in 40 such schools. When contacted, district education officer (DEO) Purnachandra Sethi said that the government has no provisions to fill the teachers’ posts in fully-aided schools. New appointments will be made only if the government makes the requisite rule. Sethi added that the government is being apprised of the vacancies in these schools and their problems regularly.
