Bant: The 47-year-old Bantala Nodal School under Kadbarang gram panchayat in Bant block of Bhadrak district isn’t exactly a learning hub.
With teachers in severe shortage and safety issues, students here have no option but to wait for these posts to be filled before they can start real studies. Students here have a lot of free time as most of the day remains a free period with no teacher.
Despite repeated requests to fill the vacant positions, the administration has done little. Adding to the woes of student are the cracked walls of the school that are on the verge of collapse.
“The roofs might collapse anytime. But, no one is bothered. They will awake only after something untoward happens,” a local said. According to reports, the school was established in 1972. At present, at least 110 students study in the current academic session.
The school which runs under acute shortage of infrastructure, has only five classrooms for students of eight classes. Similarly, the school also lacks teachers. Reportedly, there are only five teachers for more than 100 students at the school.
Apart from this, the 47-year-old educational institution is in a dilapidated condition as the two buildings of the school have developed cracks. As a result, parents have stopped sending their children to the school.
On the other hand, the school does not have even a boundary wall and a main gate. Besides, a village road also passes through the school, which remains busy during day hours.
Apart from teacher crunch and classrooms, the school does not have a proper approach road. The students have to come to the school through farmlands.
Moreover, the extracurricular activities for students are hampered as the school has no playground. There are no separate computer classrooms and computer classes are held in the school’s office room.
When contacted, the headmaster said the block education officer has been apprised of various issues of the school, but no actions have been taken so far. Meanwhile, locals, parents and guardians have sought an immediate solution to the problems before the next academic session commences.
PNN