Cuttack: Despite tall claims of Government, Odisha still has many places where students do not have roof over their head and are forced to study under the open sky or the shade of trees at best.
One such school is running from the premises of Baneswari Shiv Temple at Murkundi village under Salepur block in the district. Here the students study on the temple’s verandah as the school does not have its own building, alleged teachers.
“We have to make the students sit on the verandah of the temple as there is not a single room for the school. We face a lot of problems during rainy season," said Pratap Kumar Mishra, a teacher.
During any type of puja or celebration at the temple, the students are taught under the shade of trees, he added.
“Even though this is a government school project, there is no building of its own. We have approached the local Tehsildar several times but he never paid heed to our requirements,” alleged a local Niranjan Acharya.
Similarly, the Dasasahi Aanganwadi School of the village also operates from the pump house building of local irrigation office.
“I am forced to teach the students outside the pump house," Ratnabati Bhoi, an Anganwadi teacher said.
The villagers alleged that due to such callousness of the government officials, the students are facing problems and such infrastructural deficiencies speak volumes about the state of primary education in the State.
Meanwhile, Kishorenagar Tehsildar Sucheta Mohapatra said that the revenue inspector had given his report in 2016 stating that excess 'goucher' land was available in the region. But as he didn’t give any map for which land allotment for the schools got delayed.
“We will take steps soon to resolve the issue,” Mohapatra added.