Berhampur: Students studying in Odia medium schools in Andhra Pradesh face an uncertain future due to delay in the distribution of books.
Even as the schools reopened June 12 after summer vacation, the students are yet to get their books and begin their lessons. In the absence of Odia books, the pupils are slowly turning to Telugu, reports said. This has spread resentment and outrage among guardians.
According to reports, as many as 184 Odia medium schools with a strength of over 10,000 students, ranging from Class I to Class V, function in Srikakulam, Vijayanagaram and Visakhapatnam districts of Andhra Pradesh.
The state government sponsors books for all Odia students studying in these schools. Similarly, the Andhra government provides books for Telugu students studying in southern Odisha ever year.
The Odisha government has already printed around 15, 000 books for primary schools and around 6,000 books for high schools for the current academic year. However, the AP government has not yet completed the printing work.
Usually, the AP government brings truckloads of Telugu books for Telugu students in southern Odisha and takes back Odia books. However, reports suggested that the AP government is not keen on taking Odia books and provide Telugu books in the current year until the printing work is completed.
Now, the delay in providing books is worrying students. Even as a month has passed since the reopening of the schools, the students have nothing to study.
“Going to school has now become a waste of time for the students as they get nothing to learn,” a guardian said.
Meanwhile, Badrinarayan Patra, school and mass education minister, during his visit to the schools, came to know of the plight and assured them to take steps in this regard.
PNN