ROURKELA: While the State government has reopened schools for Class X students from July 26 and is all set to resume physical classes for Class IX from August 16, funds are yet to be placed to run ST/SC hostels leaving the authorities in a tight spot.
School headmasters/headmistress find themselves in a Catch-22 situation. They are under compulsion to run the hostels and as available resources are too meagre, some of them are resorting to borrowing and personal spending to meet expenditure. They fear that the situation would turn unmanageable from August 16 with arrival of Class IX students.
The State government provides each ST/SC girl student Rs 800 per month as pre-matric scholarship while the amount is Rs 750 each for boys. The scholarship is used to meet mess expenditure including for rice, lentils, vegetables, non-vegetarian items, spices and fuel cost.
Administrative sources said the district has 13,904 ST/SC boarders in Classes IX and X of 40 high schools under ST/SC Development department and 94 under the School and Mass Education (S&ME) department. Under normal circumstances, the scholarship amount is placed with the respective school’s bank account to meet mess expenditure.
When the second Covid wave forced closure of schools on April 17 this year, the ST/SC Development department transferred the scholarship amount for the months of April, May and June directly to bank accounts of beneficiary students or their parents. Now, the unprecedented crisis of running ST/SC hostels has arisen with the State government reportedly not clarifying whether the scholarship would continue to go to students’ accounts or the previous practice of placing money with schools would be restored.
Sources said all 17 blocks of Sundargarh district are facing the same situation. The Welfare Extension Offices are flooded with grievances from schools. While the school authorities have been advised to use the available unspent scholarship deposits, the truth is that many schools have nil reserves. A school headmaster requesting anonymity said unlike that of day scholars, the attendance of Class X students in hostels is full.
Due to the pandemic-induced economic burdens, suppliers are not willing to extend credit for a long period and may stop supplies. District welfare officer Sunil Tandi claimed that funds, rice and pulses are available with schools. Without specifying the amount, he said pre-matric scholarship has also been made available to schools.
Finance and figures
Rs 800 for each ST/SC girl student as pre-matric scholarship
Rs 750 each for boys
13,904 ST/SC boarders in Classes IX and X in Sundargarh
40 high schools under ST/SC Development department
94 under School and Mass Education department