With the poor condition of schools and anganwadi centres making headlines following the recent Nayagarh tragedy, the Orissa High Court on Tuesday issued notice to the Government on the state of two schools in Mayurbhanj and Balangir districts.
The court took suo motu cognisance of two news reports carried in this paper on Monday and registered PILs. The Division Bench of Chief Justice V Gopalagowda and Justice SK Mishra, while issuing notice to the Government, has directed the Government advocate to submit response on the matter within a week.
The news reports ‘Roofless school shows claims falling flat’, and ‘Surplus teachers but no building here’ cited poor condition of two schools in Mayurbhanj and Balangir districts respectively.
As there is no roof over classrooms of Raruan ME School in Mayurbhanj district, students are forced to attend classes on the verandah. The school has 110 students with four classrooms of which asbestos roofs over two have been blown away.
The school is close to the block office and despite visit of important Government officials to the area, the plight of the students has failed to draw any attention.
The school authorities have also conceded that they are compelled to suspend classes during rainy days due to lack of classrooms which has cast doubts over completion of the courses in time before the examinations.
Education in the primary school at Kandhbahal village under Tureikela block of Balangir district is hit due to lack of adequate space.
The school, with 35 students, has three teachers for three classes but only one small room to run the classes. As a result, all the three classes are being held in the same room in conditions that are not conducive to proper academic development. Moreover, the classroom does not have adequate lighting arrangements forcing students to study in dimly-lit conditions.