UMERKOTE: More than 25 children from the Raighar block in Nabarangpur district are attending schools in the neighbouring Chhattisgarh reportedly over infrastructural concerns as much as high fees in Odisha schools. The shifting of students has also flagged concerns about the diminishing presence of Odia language in these border villages.
Students from Kanadihi, Kundei, Sonarpara, and Khiloli villages under the Kundei and Hatvarandi panchayats, have enrolled in Chhattisgarh’s Ghutkel school for education from the 8th grade to secondary level.
Parents and students cite the poor infrastructure and high tuition fees in Odisha’s schools as the primary reasons for this migration.
“Employment opportunities in Chhattisgarh, both in government and non-government sectors, too are better compared to Odisha,” said parents Sudhakar Gond, Malabya Bhotra and Kheduram Beborti.
Linguists fear that the Odia language could disappear from these border villages if this trend continues. Despite a significant sum being used by the government on educational schemes, these efforts have not benefited the state’s border and suburban areas.
On being informed, district education officer Chatrapati Sahu assured to look into the issue. “I have instructed the Raighar block education officer to investigate and submit a detailed report on the situation,” he said.