KENDRAPARA: Closed for more than a year due to Covid-19 pandemic, many primary schools in the coastal district are under a layer of wild growth and vegetation in absence of proper maintenance by authorities concerned. The campuses have literally turned into mini forests with wild climbers, grass and weeds taking over the buildings. The campuses have also become breeding grounds for snakes.
A case in point is the primary school at Trilochanpur village on the outskirts of Kendrapara town. The entire school campus has been overrun by wild growth. The building too is covered with moss and creepers. Ajit Pradhan, a villager of Trilochanpur, said fully grown shrubs have engulfed the school campus. “We had urged the teachers to remove the wild growth from the campus but they did not pay any heed,” he claimed.
Besides Trilochanpur, the primary schools at Baro, Mirzapur, Bagada, Jagannathpur, Madanpur, Patarapur, Kanarapur and Bharigada villages also present a similar picture of neglect. Former school headmaster Kali Prasanna Nayak said despite the Education department’s direction to take care of schools during the closure period, the authorities concerned did not make any effort to maintain the campuses.
The monsoon season has only exacerbated the problem. Retired school headmaster Dr Basudev Das said the rains have turned the campuses into jungles as no one is visiting the schools for months. “Desks, tables and other furniture are gathering dust while the teachers are enjoying paid holidays. Not one teacher is taking any interest to clean the school infrastructure and surroundings,” he alleged.
Contacted, district education officer Sanjeev Singh said there are 1,718 primary and upper primary schools in Kendrapara where 1,42,750 students are enrolled from Class 1 to 8. Each year, the government grants Rs 25,000 and Rs 50,000 to each primary and upper primary school respectively for proper maintenance of the campuses. Teachers should come to schools on rotation basis ensuring social distance in view of the prevailing Covid situation.
“It is the duty of teachers to maintain a clean environment in schools. I have already directed all block education officers of the district to take proper steps to clean the school campuses,” Singh added.