JAGATSINGHPUR: Students of Kapurabellari primary school along with their guardians staged dharna in front of Balikuda block office here on Tuesday protesting merger of their school in “violation of the rationalisation policy”.
Earlier, the School and Mass Education department had merged Bagheipur Primary School (Satellite school) in Barmunduli panchayat with Kapurabellari school (lead school) on June 13 as the former had only nine students. Two teachers of Bagheipur were also transferred to Kapurabellari School. The students of Bagheipur even took admission in Kapurabellari school.
However, villagers of Bagheipur later did not send their children to Kapurabellari school as it was situated two km away from their village. They started the Bagheipur school by engaging a private lady teacher.
On July 22, the district education office, however, modified the merger of the two schools in view of the availability of better infrastructure facilities in Bagheipur.
Bagheipur primary school, despite having only nine students, was treated as the lead school while the one at Kapurabellari, with 29 students, became the satellite school.
The Kapurabellari school was locked and its four teachers joined Bagheipur school. Protesting the move, villagers of Kapurabellari have been running their school by engaging three private teachers since the last 15 days.
Collector Sangram Keshari Mohapatra, who was present in Balikuda block office for hearing grievances of locals, assured the agitating students of resolving the issue within seven days following which the protest was called off.