Keonjhar schools grapple with shortage of teachers, resource constraint

Education in Odisha’s Keonjhar district is grappling with severe challenges. Staff shortages have led to situations where a single teacher is managing five different classes, while classrooms are overcrowded with students spanning five grades sharing the same space.

For instance, education has been severely affected in Danara Primary School under Hatadihi block. Only one teacher is reportedly available to instruct pupils from grades one to five in the school. The additional duties assigned to the lone educator have led to a decline in the quality of teaching being delivered in the school. 

“There are more than a hundred students in the school. It is getting difficult for a single teacher to manage the affairs of the entire school. As a result, the students are the worse sufferers,” rued Shiva Charana Sethi, the Headmaster of Danara Primary School.

Compounding the problem is the scarcity of classrooms. Only three teachers are teaching the children from grades one to five in the confines of a single room at Raipal village school under Anandpur block in the district. This situation has sparked concerns among parents. Moreover, students have also started expressing their dissatisfaction. They had reportedly staged a protest expressing their concern over it.

In response, the Block Education Officer (BEO) acknowledged the issue and assured that the shortages will be rectified once the necessary approvals for district-level recruitment are granted.

“We are trying our best to solve the issue as soon as possible,” said BEO Omkar Anwesh.