BERHAMPUR: It has been more than three years since Odisha Adarsha Vidyalaya (OAV) was set up in Sorada block of Ganjam district. However, the institution is yet to offer Plus Two courses to students of the area. The school’s academic record has been impressive. But, since it does not offer scope for higher education, meritorious tribal and poor students are unable to study beyond matriculation.
As many as 59 students of the schools had cleared the All India Secondary School Examination, conducted by CBSE this year. Nine of them had secured over 90 per cent marks. However, a majority of the students gave up their dream of pursuing higher education as they could not afford it. A few students said they took admission in Plus Two courses in institutes at Bhubaneswar and Berhampur but had to drop out as it was expensive.
A few months back, parents of the students had staged a protest in front of the tehsil office at Sorada demanding introduction of Plus Two courses at the OAV but in vain. The State Government had decided to move Plus Two education from the Higher Education department to the School and Mass Education department.
After the split, Plus Two was brought under Rashtriya Madhyamik Siksha Abhiyan (RMSA), a flagship programme of the Central Government for secondary education. Sources said Odisha gets `100 crore in grants annually meant for schools included under RMSA. The OAV is also facing a dearth of teachers. Even as the institution does not have a full-time principal, posts of PGTs in mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology and TGTs in English and arts are lying vacant.
Though two teachers from an Odia medium school have been posted at the OAV on deputation, it has failed to address the problem.District Education Officer Sanatan Panda said the issue of introducing Plus Two courses at the OAV is pending with officials concerned. He said steps are being taken to fill up the vacancies of teachers.