TV
Bringing forward serious allegations of infrastructural neglect, students of Dhodra Government Primary School in Jharigaon block of Nabarangpur district have begun refusing to attend classes, citing broken classrooms, foul-smelling toilets, leaking roofs, and unsafe mid-day meal conditions.
The matter was brought to the media spotlight after a third-grade girl recently told her father she would not return to school unless conditions improved, highlighting growing discontent among children and parents.
The girl, a new enrollee at the school this year, bluntly told her father that she would not go to school anymore because the authorities did not pay heed to their essential needs.
“My daughter told me that the toilet stinks and has been left in disrepair. She also added that the kitchen, where mid-day meals are prepared, is filled with cobwebs. She refuses to attend the school unless these concerns are addressed,” said the girl’s mother.
She added that she had earlier raised these issues with school staff, but no action followed. The student also complained that rainwater drips through the school roof, but alleged that the complaint was not heeded.
Years of Neglect in a School Serving 380 Children
Established in 1991, Dhodra Government Primary School caters to over 380 students from Classes 1 to 8. Sources reported that ten teachers are posted to the school, but the basic infrastructure is in a dilapidated state.
Visuals from the ground showed that four of the classrooms are structurally unsafe, with exposed iron rods and falling plaster, with students are still being taught under these damaged roofs.
“There is no permanent source of safe drinking water. Toilets are in such poor condition that many children avoid using them altogether. There is no dedicated kitchen for the mid-day meal scheme. Instead, food is cooked in a rundown house,” said a local citizen.
Administration Acknowledges Problem, But Solutions Pending
Nilabati Mahapatra, the Headmistress of the school, admitted that the condition of the school was poor and said she had reported the matter to senior officials.
“The classrooms are unsafe, and the sanitation system is inadequate. We are aware of the issues and have requested intervention,” she said.
Meanwhile, the school premises were recently cleaned by a local charitable trust, which cleared wild grass and undergrowth from the campus. However, this one-time cleanup hasn’t resolved the larger infrastructural and sanitary deficiencies.
Public Anger Mounts in Minister’s Own District
Notably, the school lies in the home district of Odisha’s School and Mass Education Minister. With such a serious crisis unfolding in a school under his watch, residents have now demanded immediate action.
“This is not just any school. This is in the minister’s own district. If conditions are like this here, imagine the rest,” said another local.
As of the last reports, no comments in this regard could be obtained from concerned officials.
