Post News Network
Rayagada, August 25: Even as some teachers in this district have hogged lime light of late for all the wrong reasons, there is a teacher here with a difference, who has been single-handedly teaching the students of a nondescript school for the last five years wading through river water throughout the year.
Bhaskar Das is the assistant teacher as well as the headmaster of Kalingi Primary School of Tadama panchayat under this block. Das never hesitates to spend from his pocket to buy rice, dal and vegetables for his beloved students. Evidently, the students take his name with respect and hold their heads in pride for their ‘guru’.
The school’s student strength for the current year is 18, which was 25 last year. There are two students in Class I, one in Class II, nine in Class III, three in Class IV and three in Class V. Das, who joined the school in 2009, is not only an assistant teacher but also performs the duty of the headmaster. He has been handling the affairs of the school since June 16, 2011 after BC Majhi, the other teacher of the school got transferred.
For the last five years, Das has been crossing the 100-mt-wide river every day at times with provisions for mid-day-meal programme.
Though government norm mandates at least a headmaster and teacher for the school, the education department seems to have closed its eyes on the plight of the teachers, the villagers alleged. When contacted, block education officer Keshab Meher said, he just came to know about the incident.
He would ensure that another teacher is appointed in the school.
Cluster resources centre coordinator (CRCC) Banshidhar Pal said, he was aware of the problem but was helpless due to shortage of the teachers in the district.
On the other hand, on being queried about the difficulties, Das said he was well aware of his responsibility and had no problems in teaching the children after wading through the river water dangerously.
However, he lamented that the school remains closed if he fails to make it to the school for some personal reason. One more teacher is a bare necessity in emergency situation, Das said.