By Ghasiram Panda
Elementary education is the foundation for development of any individual. To strengthen the elementary education system and make it qualitative, the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 was enacted. This recognizes elementary education as a fundamental right of children between 6 to 14 years under Article 21 A of the Indian constitution. It was expected that the enactment of this law will bring another window of opportunity for a drastic reforms of the elementary education system. However the state of affairs is still very poor and raising questions on the readiness of the state to implement the Act. This is an attempt to reflect upon few dimensions of the present status of the elementary education in the above mentioned districts. Secondary data and information available in government sources have been used and analyzed for this purpose. However the information available is not of very recent. Hence there might have some progress in compare to the data mentioned.
Schools in neighborhood:
The number primary, upper primary and secondary schools available in the districts of Bargarh, Bolangir, Boudh, Jharsuguda, Kalahandi, Nuapada, Sambalpur, Subarnapur and Sundargarh are as mentioned in the table below:
SL | DISTRICT | PRIMARY | ||||||||
DEPT. OF EDN | SSD | LOCAL BODY | AIDED | PVT UNAIDED | OTHERS | CENTRAL GOVT | UNRECOGNISED | TOTAL | ||
1 | BARGARH | 934 | 47 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 1022 |
2 | BOLANGIR | 1294 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1322 |
3 | BOUDH | 510 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 535 |
4 | JHARSUGUDA | 392 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 423 |
5 | KALAHANDI | 1604 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 1629 |
6 | NUAPADA | 576 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 594 |
7 | SAMBALPUR | 869 | 23 | 0 | 12 | 19 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 929 |
8 | SONEPUR | 585 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 614 |
9 | SUNDERGARH | 1536 | 59 | 0 | 142 | 51 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 1824 |
SL | DISTRICT | UPPER PRIMARY | ||||||||
DEPT. OF EDN | SSD | LOCAL BODY | AIDED | PVT UNAIDED | OTHERS | CENTRAL GOVT | UNRECOGNISED | TOTAL | ||
3 | BARGARH | 636 | 35 | 0 | 50 | 29 | 2 | 0 | 26 | 778 |
5 | BOLANGIR | 871 | 23 | 0 | 14 | 52 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 969 |
6 | BOUDH | 283 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 301 |
14 | JHARSUGUDA | 249 | 26 | 0 | 18 | 11 | 0 | 2 | 19 | 325 |
15 | KALAHANDI | 667 | 24 | 0 | 27 | 54 | 0 | 0 | 30 | 802 |
25 | NUAPADA | 393 | 34 | 0 | 23 | 19 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 482 |
28 | SAMBALPUR | 455 | 19 | 0 | 24 | 44 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 562 |
29 | SONEPUR | 326 | 7 | 0 | 21 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 378 |
30 | SUNDERGARH | 776 | 30 | 0 | 42 | 61 | 2 | 2 | 35 | 948 |
SL | DISTRICT | SECONDARY | TOTAL SCHOOLS | ||||||||
DEPT. OF EDN | SSD | LOCAL BODY | AIDED | PVT UNAIDED | OTHERS | CENTRAL GOVT | UNRECOGNISED | TOTAL | |||
3 | BARGARH | 148 | 4 | 0 | 115 | 69 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 342 | 2142 |
5 | BOLANGIR | 171 | 7 | 0 | 133 | 45 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 362 | 2653 |
6 | BOUDH | 41 | 3 | 0 | 26 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 79 | 915 |
14 | JHARSUGUDA | 63 | 3 | 0 | 35 | 27 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 139 | 887 |
15 | KALAHANDI | 169 | 17 | 0 | 106 | 35 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 337 | 2768 |
25 | NUAPADA | 57 | 5 | 0 | 61 | 18 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 150 | 1226 |
28 | SAMBALPUR | 110 | 10 | 0 | 65 | 37 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 235 | 1726 |
29 | SONEPUR | 62 | 1 | 0 | 51 | 19 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 140 | 1132 |
30 | SUNDERGARH | 202 | 35 | 0 | 99 | 104 | 0 | 7 | 13 | 460 | 3232 |
(Source: http://opepa.odisha.gov.in/website/Achievement.aspx)
The above tables show that the education is still mostly dependent upon the government schools. However there is an increase presence of private schools in upper primary and secondary level. Also the tables reflect that a good number of unrecognized schools are functioning in every district within the knowledge of administration!
The Section 6 of the RTE Act says that the appropriate government shall establish, within such areas or limits of neighborhood, as may be prescribed, a school, where it is not so established, within a period of three years from the commencement of this Act. The Odisha State rules have defined that:
- In respect of the children in class I – V, a school shall be established within a walking distance of one kilometer of the neighborhood
- In respect of the children in class VI – VIII, a school shall be established within a walking distance of three kilometers of the neighborhood
For the purpose of determining and for establishing neighborhood schools the government is mapping school every year.
The below table is the Habitation/School Mapping carried out in the year 2015:
Primary
State – Odisha
Sl.No. | Name of Block/Municipal Area | Total Habitations | Habitations Covered by Primary School * | Habitations without Primary School (not eligible for opening of PS) | Habitations eligible for PS * |
3 | BARGARH | 2541 | 2507 | 34 | |
5 | BOLANGIR | 2442 | 2396 | 46 | |
6 | BOUDH | 1273 | 1123 | 150 | |
25 | NUAPARA | 2340 | 2235 | 105 | |
28 | SAMBALPUR | 2278 | 2138 | 140 | |
29 | SUBARNPUR | 1199 | 1152 | 47 | |
30 | SUNDARGARH | 6877 | 6810 | 67 |
Upper Primary
S. No. | Name of Block/ Municipal Area |
Total No. of Habitations | Habitations Covered by Upper Primary School* | Habitations without Upper Primary Schools (not eligible for opening of UPS) | Habitations eligible for UPS* | |
3 | BARGARH | 2541 | 2522 | 19 | ||
5 | BOLANGIR | 2442 | 2404 | 38 | ||
6 | BOUDH | 1273 | 1193 | 80 | ||
14 | JHARSUGUDA | 1002 | 995 | 7 | ||
15 | KALAHANDI | 3847 | 3739 | 108 | ||
25 | NUAPARA | 2340 | 2290 | 50 | ||
28 | SAMBALPUR | 2278 | 2217 | 61 | ||
29 | SUBARN PUR | 1199 | 1155 | 44 | ||
30 | SUNDARGARH | 6877 | 6792 | 85 |
The tables reflect that none of the districts are left with place eligible for establishing new schools. However every district is having habitations not eligible for opening of new primary and upper primary schools. Districts like Boudh, Nuapada, Sambalpur and Kalahandi are having more than hundred habitations not having a school. We can expect that the children in between 6 to 14 years must have been enrolled in the nearby schools. In case it is more than the distance fixed then they are entitled for an escort and transport allowance of INR 3000 each per annum.
School closure:
School having 15 or less than 15 enrolments:
Sl.No | Dist | Primary | Upper Primary | Total |
3 | Bargarh | 85 | 1 | 86 |
5 | Bolangir | 70 | 2 | 72 |
6 | Boudh | 40 | 1 | 41 |
14 | Jharsuguda | 39 | 1 | 40 |
15 | Kalahandi | 64 | 1 | 65 |
25 | Nuapada | 51 | 1 | 52 |
28 | Sambalpur | 89 | 0 | 89 |
29 | Sonepur | 59 | 2 | 61 |
30 | Sundargarh | 129 | 7 | 136 |
These above mentioned schools were closed in two different phases. In the first phase the School & Mass Education Department Vide letter No. 3548, dt 21.02.2015 issued orders for closure of schools having five or less than five enrolment. In the second phase in the year 2016 schools having 10 or less than 10 enrolment were closed. In a recent development in the year 2017 vide letter No 4924 (30) dated 22.06.17 the State Project Director, OPEPA has initiated the process of closure of schools having 15 or less than 15 enrolment. The government has the plan of closure / merger of schools having 25 or less than 25 enrolments which will affect more than 12500 schools.
Transport and Escort:
The children of difficult circumstances facing danger to attend the school have been provided the Transport and Escort facilities during 2015-16 as per following
- The Unit Cost @ Rs.3,000/- per child per annum.
- The district-wise provision of Transport and Escort facilities as follows.
Sl No | Name of the district | No. of children approved for allowance |
3 | BOLANGIR | 14 |
7 | JHARSUGUDA | 428 |
8 | KALAHANDI | 11 |
18 | NUAPADA | 4 |
20 | SAMBALPUR | 40 |
21 | SONEPUR | 52 |
22 | SUNDERGARH | 47 |
In a situation where schools are being closed and districts are having hundreds of habitations without schools the numbers of students approved for allowance are very minimal.
Fulfilling norms and standards:
An all weather building consisting of at least one class room for every teacher and one office cum store cum head teacher room, barrier free access, separate toilet for boys and girls, safe and adequate drinking water facility, kitchen, playground and boundary wall or fencing is one of the minimum standards fixed as per the Right to Education Act. The table below reflects the status:
State level Report on School Infrastructure
Sl. No. | Disrtict Name | Govt. School | No Toilet | No Drinking Water | No Electricity | No Play Ground | No Ramp | No Kitchen Shed | No Building | Boundary Wall | |||
Common | Girls | Yes | No | Incomplete | |||||||||
3 | BARAGARH | 1809 | 410 | 337 | 0 | 1359 | 1337 | 815 | 1137 | 14 | 764 | 276 | 768 |
5 | BOLANGIR | 2369 | 460 | 316 | 0 | 2005 | 2034 | 1172 | 1303 | 90 | 921 | 834 | 604 |
6 | BOUDH | 851 | 293 | 534 | 0 | 718 | 695 | 411 | 454 | 38 | 507 | 306 | 36 |
14 | JHARSUGUDA | 740 | 210 | 244 | 0 | 513 | 560 | 116 | 530 | 7 | 451 | 150 | 139 |
15 | KALAHANDI | 2468 | 1427 | 1436 | 0 | 2127 | 2141 | 1168 | 1617 | 232 | 795 | 1159 | 492 |
25 | NUAPADA | 1063 | 275 | 734 | 0 | 913 | 902 | 146 | 0 | 25 | 366 | 484 | 211 |
28 | SAMBALPUR | 1481 | 326 | 182 | 0 | 1156 | 1096 | 138 | 971 | 19 | 780 | 246 | 455 |
29 | SONEPUR | 985 | 320 | 144 | 0 | 754 | 849 | 490 | 708 | 13 | 411 | 332 | 241 |
30 | SUNDERGARH | 2630 | 409 | 1644 | 0 | 2099 | 2101 | 893 | 1570 | 129 | 1146 | 948 | 534 |
(source: http://opepa.odisha.gov.in/SchoolReports/SchoolInfrastructureReports.aspx)
School having single teacher ( 2015 -16):
SL NO | Disrtict Name | One Teachers |
3 | BARAGARH | 44 |
5 | BOLANGIR | 206 |
6 | BOUDH | 10 |
14 | JHARSUGUDA | 7 |
15 | KALAHANDI | 155 |
25 | NUAPADA | 12 |
28 | SAMBALPUR | 73 |
29 | SONEPUR | 73 |
30 | SUNDERGARH | 272 |
(Source: http://opepa.odisha.gov.in/EPIS/TeacherAvailabilityReports.aspx)
Having a single teacher in school is a gross violation of the norms and standard fixed under RTE. The above table reflects that still single teacher schools are there in each and every district. The highest schools with single teacher are in Sundargarh followed by Balangir and Kalahandi.
Regulating private educational Institutions:
SL | DISTRICT | Primary | Upper Primary | Total |
1 | BARGARH | 3 | 29 | 32 |
2 | BOLANGIR | 20 | 52 | 72 |
3 | BOUDH | 10 | 11 | 21 |
4 | JHARSUGUDA | 6 | 11 | 17 |
5 | KALAHANDI | 7 | 54 | 61 |
6 | NUAPADA | 2 | 19 | 21 |
7 | SAMBALPUR | 19 | 44 | 63 |
8 | SONEPUR | 11 | 13 | 24 |
9 | SUNDERGARH | 51 | 61 | 112 |
Responding to a questions in the Odisha State Assembly the then Minister of school and mass education shared that in 2009 – 10 students admitted in private primary schools were 549161 where as in the year 2015 – 16 this has reached to 992117. This is a hike 14.31 %. Accordingly the numbers of private managed schools have been increased in each and every district. The number mentioned in the above table is reflecting a very small portion of the presence of private managed school. In real, the department doesn’t have updated information on the presence of private managed educational institutions despite having a strong regulating mechanism in build within RTE Act. Running of privately managed educational institutions without having a certificate of recognition (CoR) from the competent authority is a violation of Section 18 of the Act. Schools having CoR should have been displayed in the OPEPA web site. As on today not a single name is displayed as none of the privately managed school is having the CoR.
Discrimination free schooling:
Section 8 (C) and 9 (C ) of the RTE Act Sec 9 (c) of the Right to Education Act says ‘Every local authority shall ensure that the child belonging to weaker section and the child belonging to disadvantaged group are not discriminated against and prevented from pursuing and completing elementary education on any ground’. The then Commissioner cum Secretary Smt Usha Padhee, IAS also issued two different orders i.e no 10400/ OPEPA/ M(CNPUS) – 290, dated 27.11.2014 to declare the school premises as ‘Discrimination Free Zone’ and no 10401/ OPEPA/ M(CNPUS) – 290, dated 27.11.2014 to remove the cast tagged in school’s name. After almost one and half year an information using RTI on 4th June, 2016 reveled that neither the School and Mass Education Department nor OPEPA have any database on this.
Key Suggestions:
- Strengthening community and student participation on effective schooling by strengthening school management committee, school cabinet and proper implementation of school development plan
- Effective implementation of the following orders and circulars:
- Order of Odisha State Commission for Protection of Child Rights No 1683/ OSCPCR – 593/15 dated 24.06.2016 on closure of schools emphasizing impact assessment of each school before closure / merger
- Order of Odisha State Commission for Protection of Child Rights No1461/17/1303/OSCPCR, dated20.7.2017 on implementation of discrimination free schooling provision within a fixed timeframe.
- Notification 30.12.14 on guideline to check absenteeism emphasizing monitoring of students in a specific interval of time by authorities and develop a data base of drop out students in a monthly basis at district level.
- No 9317 dated 19. 9 16 guideline for 25% admission of socially and economically weaker sections of the society in private school
- Regulating the private educational institutions by ensuring Certificate of Recognition.
Contact Author:
Mob: 9438341794
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