Rayagada: Quality of education imparted in Rayagada district has deteriorated as several programmes implemented by the state government in this regard have resulted in a little impact, which find reflection in examination results of students, a report said.
According to sources, the pass rate of school as well as college students in this district has been on decline over years. Results of matriculation examination during past four years draw a much gloomy picture of the education system in Rayagada district.
Class-X examination conducted under Board of Secondary Education (BSE), Odisha in fiscal 2015-16 had a pass rate of 83.22 per cent in this district, which was 88.81 per cent in 2016-17, 72.41 per cent in 2017-18 and 60.89 per cent in 2018-19. The situation of higher education in Rayagada district is even worse as students have no other choice than to depend up on educational institutions of other districts for further studies.
Privatisation and commercialisation of education, vacancies in posts of teachers and lack of Adarsh Vidyalayas in Rayagada district have given rise to such an untoward situation, local intelligentsia opined.
Primary and upper primary schools of the district have total vacancies of 936 teachers, including 26 headmasters. Likewise, there are 299 vacancies in higher secondary schools here as against 893 posts.
Allegedly, the schoolteachers remain engaged most of the times in several programmes of the state government. Teachers not teaching at their own sweet will, not completing courses in time, remaining absent from schools, coming late to schools, leaving the schools early and talking over cell phones during study hours are said to be the main reasons behind decline of pass rates in Rayagada district.
Notably, the pass rate of Shingari, Goranda, Khariguda, Dimiriguda, Sambarilandi, Madhumunda, Meerabali and Siruhali upgraded high schools in the district was 0 per cent in 2019 matriculation examination.