Villagers Lock School Over Unsafe Building, Teacher Shortage In Odisha’s Mayurbhanj

Baripada: Parents of students locked a government primary school at a village in Badasahi area of Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district on Tuesday, alleging shortage of teachers and dilapidated building.

The incident took place at Merdhanuagaon village under Badasahi block of the tribal-dominated district. Several villagers including students’ parents erected a tent in front of the school and asked teachers to take classes under the structure till the building is repaired, sources said.

They claimed that the school building, which is in a highly dilapidated structure, poses danger to the students.

Stating that four of the six classrooms in the school are in a poor condition, they said the walls and ceiling of the building have developed cracks. The school lacks safe drinking water facility and toilet and the children cannot be allowed to study in the highly unsafe building.

Though there are eight classes in the school, it has only four teachers from class-I to VIII to teach over 100 students, they said.

The villagers have submitted a memorandum to the Block Development Officer (BDO) and Block Education Officer (BEO) of Badasahi several times in this regard but no step has so far been taken, they claimed.

The villagers warned that their protest will be intensified if the administration fails to take immediate steps to appoint more teachers and construct new building for the school.