Khurda: Huge shortfall of classrooms at primary and upper primary levels has raised concerns over the poor condition of school education in the state. One such school under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan highlighting the problems is the Diniyari Project Primary School under Begunia block of Khurda district which has only two classrooms for the 110 students on roll.
With the old classrooms declared unsafe to conduct classes, the school is left with only three proper rooms out of which two are being used as classrooms whereas the remaining one serves as the store as well as staff room. Of the two class rooms available, one accommodates around 60 students from Class I to Class VI, while 50 odd students of Class VII and Class VIII study in the other classroom.
The teachers have to bear with lot of issues as simultaneous functioning of eight classes at a time in two rooms creates a lot of chaos and confusion.
"We are facing a lot of difficulty while studying. We are unable to understand anything with students shouting and other teachers teaching together in the same room," said Jyotirmayee Mahapatra, a student.
The faculty has alleged lack of adequate infrastructure and the apathy of state government towards the development of primary education which has forced them as well as the students to adjust with whatever little facilities they have.
“The future of students is in dark. Teaching so many students of different classes at a time is a difficult task. We have to give an assignment to a section, and within that time we take classes of other students," said Ramesh Swain, Assistant teacher of the school.
“We are doing our duty. But to carry out these responsibilities and for the students to study well, we need a suitable atmosphere. The main problem is lack of classrooms," alleged the Headmaster of the school, Rabindra Kumar Mallick.
Amita Pattnaik, District Project Coordinator Khurda district Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan said,” We have inspected the school. There are three classrooms in good condition. In the near future, we are planning to give a proposal for building an additional classroom. May be that can help in sorting out some of the problems."