Seraikela: Edu Secy comes calling, finds 144 students packed in two classrooms

Mail News Service

Seraikela, Nov 29: Picture this – 144 students packed in two classrooms, attending academic sessions in a primary school. This stark reality shocked the Secretary of the state School Education and Literacy Department, K Ravi Kumar, who called on the NavPrathmikVidyalay in Shantinagar of the Seraikela district.

Kumar expressed extreme displeasure on witnessing the overcrowded classrooms in the primary school. The reason behind this status of academics at this school is that though there are 144 students enrolled in the primary school, there are just two classrooms. Kumar issued directives on the spot for two new classrooms to be constructed. This will bring the number of students in each classroom to a little over 30.

Teachers and other staff at the school said that two more classrooms will provide the much needed respite to the students and academic activities can proceed much more smoothly. Kumar departed from the school after taking stock of its academic activities and issuing necessary directives for the construction of two additional classrooms.

Kumar began his surprise inspection drive at 8.35 am on Tuesday. Teachers and principals at all schools in the district were in alert mode as Kumar had not disclosed which schools he will visit on Tuesday. Accompanied by the Seraikela district education officer Jitendra Kumar Sinha he began inspecting schools at 9 am. The first stop was at the primary school in Mangudih of Seraikela block. Kumar took stock of the school’s infrastructure, academic activities and status of Mid-Day Meals (MDM).

After issuing necessary instructions to the teachers and schools’ administrators at Mangudih village, he conducted another surprise inspection at the Sanjay PrathmikVidyalay. He checked the cleanliness of the school building and campus, academic activities, availability of drinking water, and MDM. He also interacted with the students, asked them some questions and urged them to attend their classes regularly.