Public hearing brings school education problems to fore

BRAHMAPUR: In a public hearing organised by the ISRD Childline in collaboration with the National Coalition for Education (NCE) here on Sunday, several issues in the education system after implementation of Right to Education were raised from the grassroots level.

Although most of the complains were focussed on building infrastructure of schools and lack of adequate numbers of teachers, issues like discrimination between teachers, sanitation of schools, methodology of teaching were subject matters of discussion.

A representative from Kalama village speaking about the midday meal scheme said that as the meal is given in one shift since morning, children do not take interest to eat. Besides, provision of only Rs 3.90 per head for the meal reduces its quality. With more complaints regarding infrastructure in the upper primary schools from Beguniapada block, it was demanded that proper urinal and drinking water facilities be provided in the schools.

The situation is also not good in the upper primary school at Odanai in Beguniapada block with student strength of more than 300 and classes from one to eight only run with two rooms, said the school headmaster. Though the Chhatrapur High School has been awarded as the best school in the State, it has problems of sanitation.

As per a few studies raised during the hearing, the education system is not interesting leading to absence of students in classes.

Talking on the issue, district pedagogic coordinator Manoranjan Sahu said, “In order to make the teaching process more interesting, training of teachers is highly needed. Discrimination between schools is seen with appointment of only two faculties in a school having 125 students while three teachers are appointed in a nearby UP school with 60 students.

The suggestions included separation of textbooks from workbooks, situating Anganwadis in school premises, making vocational training mandatory and execution of RTE awareness in every block headquarters.

NCE State coordinator Naba Kishor Pujari said public hearing is highly useful to reach people from the grassroots level for awareness on RTE. “The conclusions came out of the public hearing will be brought to the notice of the district Collector and the education department for appropriate actions,” said State coordinator of ISRD Childline Sudhir Sabat.