A group of school students on Sunday staged a road blockade along with their parents on Kamakhyanagar-Parjanga National Highway-149 in Dhenkanal district, protesting the government's plan to merge their school with neighbouring institute.
Students of Mohanpasi School under Parjanga block of the district staged a sit-in for around four hours on the highway till the arrival of the School and Mass Education department officials. Vehicular communication on the busy road came to a grinding halt as hundreds of trucks, buses and light vehicles stood on both side of the road due to demonstration.
The agitating students and guardians demanded early withdrawal of the government's decision and threatened to continue their stir if their demands are not fulfilled at the earliest.
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Later, a team of representatives of the local block education office reached the spot and held a discussion with the agitators. They assured the students of an early solution to the problems following which the road blockade was withdrawn.
According to reports, more than 50 students are studying at Mohanapasi School. Last year, the administration announced that it would merge the school due to low enrolment.
When the guardians voiced dissent against the move while rubbishing the claims of low enrolment, the Block Education Officer (BEO) later assured them to take the matter to higher ups and sort out the issues.
Recently, the BEO again directed the school authorities to stop enrolment from the current academic session which irked the villagers.
It is worth mentioning that Odisha Government had initiated a merger of over 11,000 schools having low enrolment last year across the State. These schools included 6,350 primary, upper primary and higher schools which have less than 20 students and 5,177 schools which have less than 40 students.