Koraput: None of the slogans of 'vikas' or development of the Centre or State has reached the children of this upper primary school at Sorispadar in Semiliguda in the district. Far from basic facilities like toilets, electricity and quality education, students of different classes here are forced to share a single blackboard.
While the UP school has a total of 262 students, 86 students of Class 1, 2 and 3 are made to sit on the veranda.
Besides, the students share a single blackboard, the space on which is divided into equal parts by drawing lines and each part is dedicated to a different class. The students of Class 6 and 7 share the only classroom the school has.
"There is only one classroom in the school so we are forced to teach Class 1, 2 and 3 students on veranda. There is also lack of drinking water facility for the students," lamented M Durga Prasad, Headmaster-in-charge of the school.
However, the district administration is unaware of the poor state of infrastructure in the school.
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"We have not yet received anything in written from the block education officer about the issue. Once we get informed, we will take all the necessary measures," said district project coordinator, Maheswar Chandra Nayak.
Meanwhile, locals expressed concerns about the future of the students and even alleged that the school is lagging far behind in providing quality education.
It is worth mentioning that in September, replying to a question from Congress’ Naba Kishore Das in the State Assembly, School and Mass Education minister Badri Narayan Patro had said that 17,000 schools in Odisha were operating from only two rooms while in upper-primary schools there were 95,987 class rooms in which 1,22,045 classes were being conducted.
He had also informed that the State government had submitted a proposal to the Centre for construction of 8546 class rooms in schools. However, the Centre sanctioned funds for construction of only 713 class rooms, he stated.