BARIPADA: Ninety girl students from Class IV to Class VI of Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya in Bhaliadiha village, Mayurbhanj district, voiced their resentment with the mismanagement of the Education department for compelling them to walk over six kilometres to Upendra Nath Ghose Government High School to appear for a mathematics test. A video of the students walking towards the school has been circulating across social media platforms.
The students alleged that since no provision had been made for them to reach the UNG Government High School to appear for a panchayat-level exam in maths, the headmaster and teachers insisted they walk. “We are tired and unhappy because for all of us the test centre is far and we were made to walk to the centre. By the time we reached the school, we felt exhausted,” said the students, calling on school authorities and the district education department to consider the difficulties faced by the young students in reaching a school situated far away.
It is noteworthy to mention that the students also took a return walk to their school after the exams. The panchayat-level exams are conducted by the School and Mass Education department. While the department had assigned an agency to conduct mathematics tests in Odisha, no arrangements were made for students’ transportation to their respective test centres neither by the government nor by the agency
Headmistress Bishnupriya Jena revealed that students who could afford it arranged their own transport, leaving economically disadvantaged students to cover the substantial distance on foot. Additional block education officer (ABEO), Palu Hansdah, assured to investigate the matter once it was brought to his attention.