CUTTACK: Even as six years have passed since the Covid-19 outbreak, students of Radhamohan Government Upgraded High School in Nischintakoili block are being forced to share classrooms as one room remains occupied by unused pandemic-era equipment. The materials include beds, blankets and other accessories procured for use during the pandemic.
Established in 1956, the school in Patasura village under Katikata gram panchayat of the block has over 150 students from Sishu Vatika to Class X.
During outbreak of the pandemic in 2020, one classroom of the school was used as temporary medical centre (TMC) to accommodate, screen and quarantine migrant workers after they returned from other states for preventing spread of the virus.
Around `5 lakh was sanctioned under the 14th Central Finance Commission (CFC) and 4th State Finance Commission for each sarpanch towards setting up the TMCs.
The school has around eight classrooms. While Covid materials continue to occupy one classroom, students of multiple classes are being forced to study in a single room in absence of adequate learning space.
The condition is such that students from Sishu Vatika to Class III study in a single classroom, those of Class IV and V share a common space, while there is even no designated room for the headmaster’s office owing to which it is merged with the teachers’ common room.
As per sources, the keys to the room which houses the Covid materials are with the former sarpanch who is yet to take any step to vacate the space or hand them over to the authority concerned.
Some parents attributed the situation to lack of inspection by both the block and district-level education authorities. “Had there been regular inspection of the school by the authorities concerned, the matter would have come to their notice,” they said.
A Class VII student’s father said he had even taken the issue to district education officer (DEO), Cuttack Nityananda Barik five months back but no action was taken.
Meanwhile, the school also grapples with staff shortage. The posts of clerk and Hindi teacher are lying vacant for long and no measure has been take to fill the posts.
Headmistress Debjani Swain, who took charge less than a month back, said she was dumbfounded with the situation. “I have had a discussion with the school management committee for shifting the Covid materials and vacating the space so that it could be used as classroom for students. If the matter remains unresolved, I will inform the higher authorities,” she said.
