The tribal students of sevashram schools in the district have little or no recreational activities at the end of the day. Sports and entertainment are nonexistent in these schools.
Official sources said about 4,500 ST/SC children are studying in 34 sevashram schools excluding kanyashram in eight blocks of the district. The students from Dhenkanal, Keonjhar, Angul, Jajpur and other tribal-dominated districts are being provided free board and lodging here.
The Government releases Rs 1 lakh per annum for each ST/SC sevashram, especially for the high school students, and kanyashram chools, said P K Das, District Welfare Officer. The four sevashram high schools in the district get no funds for sports and entertainment. The students, he said, have been demanding sports and cultural activities in schools, but we are helpless.
The students regret the fact that they are confined to the four walls of the school sans any extra-curricular activities. There is neither a platform nor facilities to nurture talents despite them being wellversed in tribal songs and dances, said a student of Sarakhia Sevashram School. There is also no provision for NCC in these schools.
Head sevaks of the sevashram schools said with funds being inadequate for day-today management of the school, it is impossible to divert them for sports and cultural programmes.