Even as both the Central and State Governments are spending crores of rupees to ensure universalisation of education through Sarva Siksha Abhiyan, the students of a primary school in Tankuni village, 10 kms from the district headquarters, are reading in the school verandah.
While the school has one room for five classes, there are two teachers including headmaster to teach over 80 students.
The Siksha Sahayak has to take the classes in the verandah to accommodate more than one class at a time while the headmaster of the 57-year-old school has to attend to official works including management of mid-day meal.
The students and guardians have repeatedly requested the authorities concerned to appoint teachers and non-teaching staff and improve infrastructure facilities but to no avail, said Biraja Parida, a guardian.
The lone tube-well on the school premises has been defunct while the latrine has been damaged since long.
“The school building with one room was constructed at a cost of ` three lakhs under Sarva Siksha Abhiyan. The floor of the room has been damaged and turned unsafe for the students to seat.
Besides, due to lack of adequate space in the room, we have to take classes in the verandah,” said Arun Kumar Mallick, the headmaster.
The mid-day meal scheme is also in doldrums. Fund has not been sanctioned for the last seven months to purchase the food stuff.
Besides, the cook and his assistant have not been paid for last one year, Mallick said.
District Inspector of Schools Krushna Chandra Majhi said steps are being taken to fill up the teacher vacancies and Rs 4 lakh has been sanctioned for construction of classroom and kitchen.
Problem Areas
* There is one room for five classes and two teachers to teach over 80 students
* The floor of the classroom has been damaged and is unsafe for the students to sit
* There is one defunct tube well and a damaged toilet
* No funds have been sanctioned in last seven months to purchase food materials for mid-day meal