Kalyani Devi Government High School: A Struggle for Basic Amenities in Raurkela

Kalyani Devi Government High School in Raurkela, established in 1970, struggles with inadequate facilities despite government funding aimed at improving education. With 765 students and only 10 classrooms, the school faces significant challenges, including a lack of safe drinking water, poor toilet conditions, and drainage issues that disrupt classes. Despite receiving substantial grants, the school's basic problems remain unresolved, raising concerns about the effectiveness of the government's school transformation program. Local officials have been informed, but lasting solutions are yet to be implemented. Read on to learn more about the situation and the hopes for future improvements.

By Narendra Chaudhary Oct 6, 2026, 09:27 IST

Challenges Faced by Kalyani Devi Government High School

By Biplab Ranjan Dash

Raurkela: Despite the government's initiatives aimed at enhancing educational quality and infrastructure, students at Kalyani Devi Government High School, established in 1970, continue to encounter significant challenges due to a lack of essential facilities.

The school's current state raises concerns regarding the effectiveness of the government's school transformation program, which has allocated considerable funds. Basic necessities such as safe drinking water, sufficient classrooms, toilets, and a proper drainage system remain inadequate, impacting both teaching and administrative functions. The institution serves 765 students from grades I to X, comprising 372 boys and 393 girls.

With only 10 classrooms and 34 teachers, the existing space is insufficient for the number of students, complicating lesson delivery. For instance, Class IX has 117 students, necessitating the division of lessons into two sessions. Furthermore, the school lacks a reliable drinking water source, while other schools have benefitted from piped water.

A drinking water-cooling machine has been out of service for months due to neglect. Although there are separate toilets for boys and girls, their condition is subpar, with deteriorating flooring in need of repair. The most pressing issue is the drainage system.

The absence of an effective drainage system results in waterlogging even after light rainfall, causing rainwater to seep into classrooms and the office, disrupting educational activities. This also complicates student movement during the rainy season.

According to the Education department, Kalyani Devi Government High School received government grants of Rs 2,80,540 for the 2024-25 financial year and Rs 1,75,300 for the 2025-26 fiscal year. Additionally, the school has received significant funding under the previous government's 5T school transformation initiative.

Despite these financial resources, the school's fundamental issues remain unaddressed. There is no transparency regarding the expenditure of the funds allocated over the past two years. Headmistress Namita Dash has reported the various challenges to local legislators and senior officials, yet no lasting solutions have been implemented.

Sachidevi Paramanik, president of the school management committee, stated that the local MLA and relevant authorities have been made aware of the drainage, classroom, and infrastructure issues. She expressed optimism that development efforts would commence soon. Block Education Officer (BEO) Suprabhat Behera assured that the drainage concerns would be communicated to the Rourkela Municipal Corporation, and necessary actions would be taken to address the school's other infrastructure challenges.