BARIPADA: Students of Government Primary School, Dhanpur under Shamakhunta block locked the school entrance and blocked the road between Baripada and Similipal on Friday protesting lack of teachers in the institution.
President of school management committee along with more than 60 students and their parents raised voice against the district education department stating that teaching posts have been lying vacant for the last three months but there is no effort to fill them. The institution with 73 students on roll was being run by an assistant teacher only.
A Class V student of the school Devasmita Mohanta said, “There are no teachers and headmaster in the school. We have only one teacher who takes classes and also looks after mid-day meals.” The students complained that some of them are only studying Odia because of lack of teachers in other subjects. “We have no classes being held for other subjects so we are worried for our upcoming half-yearly examination,” they complained.
President of the school management committee Jaydev Mohanta said the issue was earlier taken to the district education officer and other authorities of the department but to no avail. “One assistant teacher cannot manage the entire school and its additional works,” he said.
The protest was withdrawn after assistant block education officer (ABEO) Giridhari Mandal assured them that the vacant teacher posts will be filled on Saturday and the school would start functioning with more staff by Monday.