Students take turns to attend classes at Siripur

BARIPADA: The condition of schools in Mayurbhanj district negates the State Government’s tall claims of providing quality education, hygienic mid-day meals and proper infrastructure facilities in educational institutions to bring down the drop-out ratio among students, especially in rural areas.Even as everything looks fine on paper, the district administration seems to have ignored the plight of primary schools in 26 blocks. A glaring example of the pathetic state of affairs in the educational institutions is  Siripur project primary school and Khaladi project primary school in Udala police limits of the district.

The students in these schools are forced to risk their lives everyday due to lack of classrooms and dilapidated buildings.As two classrooms of Siripur project primary school lie in shambles, around 45 students from classes I to V can be seen crammed in a single room. “With so many students in a room, it becomes difficult to concentrate”, rued Malati Nayak, a student. Sources said though work to repair the classrooms was taken up in 2012, the construction is yet to be completed due to the apathy of authorities concerned.

Siripur resident Paresh Parida said the residents have apprised the district administration and education department about the state of affairs at the school but in vain. “The school lacks drinking water facility and hygiene”, he added. Similar is the scenario at Khaladi project primary school where students are forced to attend classes in turn as it has just one classroom for as many as 85 students.

“The school is in a dilapidated condition and has not been repaired for the last 10 years. We fear the unsafe structure could lead to mishaps”, said Laxman Singh and Bahadur Singh, residents of Khaladi village. Meanwhile, Block Education Officer Sudhakar Behera admitted that the schools lack proper infrastructure. Former block education officer Gobardhan Nayaak had raised the issue before the district project coordinator of Sarva Sikshya Abhiyan Vevkananda Sahu, he added. Behera said he will soon meet the officials concerned to resolve the issues at the earliest.