Odisha govt schools face teacher crunch; students perform poorly in Maths, English & Science

The drive for academic excellence particularly in the subjects of mathematics, science, and English in government schools is being hampered by a significant shortage of teachers.  

According to government reports, over 11,635 teaching positions remain unfilled in high schools across the region, causing concern among students and parents about the potential impact on future career opportunities.

The problem is more prominent in rural areas, where students struggle with foundational skills in primary-level subjects. Odisha Legislative Assembly recently received a report from the Education Minister highlighting vacancies: 5,199 in government schools, 2,754 in fully-aided high schools, and 3,682 in newly aided high schools.

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In response to these challenges, the State government has introduced ‘Utkarsh Yojana’, an initiative tailored for Class 9 students to improve their grasp of key subjects based on their academic performance. This ambitious programme is complemented by the educational resources available on the DIKSHA (Digital Infrastructure for Knowledge Sharing) portal.

Moreover, there is a focus on enhancing teacher training to address educational shortfalls.

Education experts advocate for the urgent filling of teacher positions in schools and an increased focus on improving student competencies in maths, English, and science from the primary levels.

“We are very poor in maths and are worried how we will clear the upcoming exam. I appeal to the Government to appoint a mathematics teacher in our school so that at least other students of the next academic year will benefit,” a Nabarangpur school student Ramesh Chandra Nayak said to OTV.

When contacted, Jambaguda (Nabarangpur) school headmaster Prafulla Karkara stated, “My school badly needs a maths teacher. All other subjects can be managed but not maths, English and science. Hence, teachers in those subjects are barely essential.”

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Notably, the pressure to achieve 100% pass rates in board examinations further underscores the urgency confronting the education system.

Schools with a high percentage of failing students, described as 'zero-result' schools, are under critical review, with potential interventions being considered to rectify the situation.

The core issue is how excellent academic results can be achieved amidst such adversity.

Reported By: Nabaghana Bisoi, Giridhar Khara, Rashmi Ranjan Das