Odisha Teachers Worried Over Lack Of Hygiene In Schools Post Reopening

Jagatsinghpur: Teachers who resumed academic duties on the directions of the School and Mass Education (SME) department have come back to deplorable conditions in their schools.

It may be recalled that most of the schools were converted into temporary medical centres (TMSs) for migrant workers. Although the buildings were vacated for reopening of schools, they have not been cleaned up to make them ready for academic activities, The New Indian Express (TNIE) reported.

The headmaster of a high school in Balikuda was quoted as saying that the building was littered with pillows and other items used by the inmates. The toilets were not cleaned and items like masks and gloves lay scattered everywhere. He said the teachers are wary of getting infected while working in such conditions but have no other option.

More than 5,000 teachers of 272 high schools and 1,148 primary schools in the district have rejoined duty. They are now spending six to seven hours under unhygienic conditions at the institutions.

On November 4, the S&ME department had instructed collectors, district education officers and block education officers to coordinate with the District Rural Development Agency (DRDA) and block officials to clean and repair the schools and hostels within 15 days.

However, nothing was done in this regard, TNIE reported.

Teachers react

Some teachers took up the matter with the local sarpanches and elected representatives. But they expressed their helplessness stating funds for the purpose have not yet been granted by the Panchayati Raj department.

President of sarpanch association, Balikuda, Niranjan Panda said sarpanches of several panchayats have not yet received funds (ranging from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 2 lakh) for maintenance of the temporary medical centres which have now been closed, TNIE reported.

Similarly, funds ranging from Rs 25,000 to Rs 50,000 have not yet been granted by the government as a result of which they are unable to buy sanitisers, hand wash and soap, the report added.