JAGATSINGHPUR: Children sit surrounding a seven feet high mound of white ants in a classroom that does not have blackboards, windows or doors. The adjoining room serves as a cattle shed. There is nothing in the structures to vaguely resemble a school. But, it is Daradapatana primary school being run by the State Government in Titira panchayat of Jagatsinghpur district.
Established in 1959, the primary school was running from one classroom till the School and Mass Education Department decided to construct a new school building a decade back. While the construction work of two classrooms was going on five years back, it was midway. Neither windows and doors were fixed nor the structure was given a cement wash.
At present, the school has an enrolment of 17 students but only seven are attending classes regularly due to poor infrastructure facilities. Sarpanch of the panchayat Ashok Kumar Mohanty said as the situation stands today, the School and Mass Education Department officials are planning to close the school due to low enrolment of students.
A school teacher, requesting anonymity, said some villagers started keeping their goats and cattle in one of the classrooms as construction work was not completed.
Block Education Officer Susant Kumar Mohanty feigned ignorance and said if he comes across any allegation regarding use of a classroom as a livestock shed, action would be taken.