JAGATSINGHPUR: Tall claims of the State Government for pumping funds and making efforts to improve school education, notwithstanding, a Government primary school under Erasama block has been functioning from one room and verandah of a gram panchayat (GP) office since last 20 years.
Although the school was established at Paida village in 1936, it still does not have a land or a permanent building of its own.
The school since its inception was functioning from the house of one Natabara Sahoo of the village. After the house was damaged in the heavy rain, the school was shifted to panchayat office after consultation with village heads. Although the Revenue Department handed over a piece of pasture land for construction of the school building, it was opposed by locals who claimed that there will be no land left for grazing livestock and cattle.
Headmaster of the school, Gangadhar Panigrahi said there are 75 students enrolled in the school from Class I to Class VII. There is no toilet for girls and no kitchen for cooking mid-day meals and storing grocery. While mid-day meals are cooked in the open, it is stopped on days when there is heavy rain.
“The State Government had allowed us to open Class VIII but we could not due to lack of a permanent building,” Panigrahi said. Sarpanch Kishore Parida said there are three rooms in the panchayat office and one was allotted to the school. Three classes are being held in one room and other students are accommodated in the verandah of the school.
Villagers, on the other hand, alleged that the School and Mass Education Department has been negligent towards the school.
They said many students have dropped out of the school as there is not enough space to read. They further questioned if despite resistance the State Government could acquire thousands of acres of land for Posco steel project why couldn’t it spare 25 decimal land for the school.
Block Education Officer, Jayant Kumar Ray said functioning of both the school and panchayat office is hit as they operate from the same building. “We are taking steps for an alternative building for the school”, he informed.