TV
A Class 3 student in Odisha’s Nabarangpur district has refused to attend her school, citing allegedly ‘unbearable conditions’. From broken toilets to leaky roofs and unsafe classrooms, her honest outcry has spotlighted alarming gaps in primary education, even in the School and Mass Education (S&ME) Minister’s home district.
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According to sources, despite the State government’s efforts to strengthen the education system, the realities on the ‘ground zero’ tell a different story. In a troubling example from government-run Dhodra Primary School in Jharigaon block, a young girl’s refusal to attend classes has exposed the dire state of infrastructure and hygiene in rural schools.
The Class 3 student, who was newly admitted this year, told her father, “I won’t go to school anymore.” Her reasons are heart-wrenching: foul-smelling toilets, a kitchen overrun by rats, inedible food, leaky roofs, and dangerous classrooms. In the little girl’s words, “The smell is unbearable. The kitchen is filthy. I told the teacher, but nothing changed. If it rains, water drips on us from the ceiling.”
Despite attempts by her father to convince her, the girl remains adamant. “Fix the school, then I’ll go,” she said bluntly. This honest protest has not only moved her parents but also triggered discontent among other villagers and guardians in the region.
Established in 1991, the school has 380 students from classes 1 to 8, and 10 teachers. But the basic amenities are lacking. There are no safe classrooms, no clean drinking water, and the existing classrooms are crumbling—plaster is falling, and exposed iron rods threaten safety. Four classrooms are deemed structurally unsafe, yet students continue to sit there.
The mid-day meal (MDM) is being cooked in an old and abandoned building, and served to students outside, as there’s no proper kitchen. Toilets are in deplorable condition, pushing children to avoid them altogether.
Ironically, this school is located in the home district of the S&ME Minister, leading to renewed demands for immediate ministerial intervention.
While a local trust has made efforts to clean up parts of the school compound, it falls short of solving the deeper infrastructure crisis. When asked, the headmistress acknowledged the poor state of the school and admitted that conditions need urgent improvement.
“There is no provision of water in the bathroom. The bathroom is in a dilapidated condition, and a bad odour is coming from it. The back side of the school is covered with bushes and shrubs. I am feeling scared,” the Class 3 student, Sampurna Chhatoi, stated to OTV.
Reported By: Trinath Dharuan
