What’s Happening at Jharsuguda's Government Upper Primary School? A Closer Look at the Struggles

Challenges Faced by Beheramal School

By Ashish Ranjan Dash

Jharsuguda: The Government Upper Primary School located in Beheramal, within Ward 11 of Jharsuguda Municipality, is currently facing significant challenges regarding essential facilities such as drinking water, electricity, and sanitation. This situation has led to considerable distress among students and frustration among their parents.

For the past six months, the school has been without a piped water supply. Additionally, the electricity was cut off approximately two weeks ago, rendering the water pump unusable. Consequently, students have had to travel to a nearby high school to obtain drinking water. This predicament has led both students and parents to call for urgent action to rectify these issues.

Founded in 1984, the school serves 52 students across Classes VI, VII, and VIII, a decrease from 62 students two years prior. The staff includes one headmistress and two female teachers, and the school comprises five rooms. Two of these rooms are designated as classrooms for Classes VII and VIII.

One room has been partitioned, with one side serving as the Class VI classroom and the other functioning as the office. The remaining two rooms are utilized for storing midday meal supplies and coal. Although there are separate toilets for boys and girls, the facilities are in poor condition, with cracks in the outer walls and non-functional wash basins. The lack of regular cleaning has rendered the toilets unsanitary and they emit unpleasant odors. Furthermore, the absence of electricity has made it uncomfortable for students to remain in classrooms during hot and humid conditions.

Recently, students had to take their half-yearly examinations in the school verandah due to the inadequate classroom environment. The school also lacks a playground, which limits students' opportunities for sports and outdoor activities. Headmistress Anita Patel explained that the electricity was disconnected due to an outstanding bill of approximately Rs 90,000. Although discussions with the department have reduced this amount, the school continues to struggle with insufficient funding to cover regular electricity expenses.

Patel noted that the government allocates only Rs 24,000 annually as a contingency fund, which is inadequate for the school's repair, infrastructure, and electricity costs. Some of the older school buildings are in a state of disrepair, and the District Collector has ordered their demolition. This has further disrupted the water and power supply due to damaged pipelines and electrical lines.

The situation has been reported to the CRCC, officials from the education department, and the District Education Officer's office. Block Education Officer (BEO) Rabindra Majhi stated he would provide comments after inspecting the school's infrastructure. District Education Officer (DEO) Radhakanta Gadatia acknowledged that electricity connections to several schools had been cut due to unpaid bills but assured that the issues would be addressed promptly. He also mentioned that the concerns regarding drinking water and toilet facilities at Beheramal school would be investigated, and necessary actions would be taken.