JAGATSINGHPUR: At a time when the ongoing strike by the All Utkal Primary Teachers Federation has affected primary education, the sarpanch of Bachalo Panchayat of Naugaon block has taken upon her the responsibility of teaching school children at Kundigaon Primary School for the past three days.
Concerned that the long absence of teachers may lead to dropouts, sarpanch Priyadarshini Lenka manages to teach the students for a few hours besides looking after administrative works and household chores.In Naugaon block, primary education has been hit hard, with 137 teachers from 71 primary schools on leave en masse since last Wednesday.
Lenka, who holds a Master’s degree in Computer Application, said, “I waited for a day or two in the hope that the teachers’ issues will be sorted, but with no positive outcome, I did not want the students to be affected or their enthusiasm marred.” Speaking about her commitment to improving the education system in her panchayat, which includes overseeing the Mid-Day Meal programme in all schools and addressing dropout rates, Lenka asserted that she has taken the initiative to ensure clean drinking water facilities in Kundigaon and other primary schools.
Headmaster of Government High School, Kundigaon, Chittaranjan Gochyat said, the school currently has 40 students, with only two teachers available, including him. One teacher has been temporarily assigned to Government Primary School, Alana, due to the ongoing strike.
“A lone teacher teaching 40 students is challenging, and the sarpanch’s efforts to educate the students for the last three days is commendable and inspiring,” he said.
The block education officer in Naugaon Manorama Rout said of the 71 primary schools in the block, seven are currently without teachers due to the ongoing strike. “To mitigate the disruption in these schools, teachers from other schools have been temporarily assigned to fill the vacant positions, ensuring that students’ education continues,” she added.