Students walk 17 km to air their grievances

BARIPADA: AT least 55 students of Government SSD High School, Baldhia in Shamakhunta block of Mayurbhanj district, on Friday walked 17 km to air their grievances to Collector Surendra Kumar Meena. They alleged that while students are facing difficulties due to lack of teachers, girls are being harassed by the headmaster. Due to lack of teaching staff in the school, the syllabus of Classes VII and IX is yet to be completed. Similarly, sub-standard and unhygienic food is being served to hostel inmates, they alleged.

Despite repeated appeals to the headmaster and the District Welfare Officer (DWO), no step has been taken to resolve these issues. If any student raises voice against the irregularities, the headmaster, instead of resolving the matter, punishes the complainants, the students said. While 300 SC and ST students are residing in two hostels of the school, only one warden is managing the affairs.

“After the school authorities failed to solve the problems, we decided to meet the Collector to bring the issues to his notice,” a tribal student said. In the absence of the Collector, they met Additional District Magistrate (ADM) Gangadhar Nayak in the presence of DWO Krupasindhu Behera and PA ITDA Bramhananda Behera at the collectorate. They demanded immediate transfer of the headmaster and the hostel cook. The DWO assured them to transfer the headmaster and the cook within a day, while the ADM asked the officials concerned to resolve the problems of the school immediately.