Why Are Students at Biriguda Nodal Govt High School Facing Unsafe Learning Conditions?

Unsafe Learning Environment at Biriguda Nodal Govt High School

By Sadasiba Praharaj

Nabarangpur: Students attending Biriguda Nodal Govt High School, located in the Manchagaon panchayat of Tentulikhunti block, are enduring cramped and hazardous conditions due to insufficient infrastructure and delays in the construction of a new school building.

Originally upgraded from a primary school to a high school in 1993, the institution still lacks essential facilities. Currently, around 202 students from Shishu Vatika to Class X are squeezed into the primary school premises, utilizing only four classrooms, while five others are in a state of disrepair.

The flooring is worn out, exposing the earth in various areas, and leaking roofs allow rainwater to seep into classrooms. The main entrance is made of bamboo, and the tubewell provides muddy water that is unsuitable for drinking, requiring filtration before use in preparing midday meals, as noted by cooks Subhadra Hial and Jashoda Muduli. The only toilet on site has collapsed entirely, forcing both students and teachers to resort to using the open land behind the school.

The lack of a boundary wall has also raised security issues. For the construction of the high school building, the block administration allocated Rs 55 lakh in two installments on February 3 and March 11, 2023. Additionally, Rs 10 lakh is reportedly being utilized through the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), along with Rs 15 lakh from the panchayat fund. Despite this significant financial investment, the construction remains unfinished, prompting concerns from local resident Ashok Takri.

Bhimsen Nayak, president of the School Management Committee, mentioned that construction, which had been halted for several days, resumed recently following a complaint regarding the school's issues submitted to the Chief Minister. Tentulikhunti BDO Manoj Panigrahi assured that the new building would be operational soon, with tables and chairs already installed.

He also stated that water would be provided to both schools through the rural piped drinking water supply system. District Education Officer Chhatrapati Sahu confirmed that a new toilet for the primary school would be completed within a week, and three classrooms of the high school would be ready within a fortnight. He emphasized that the BDO had been instructed to expedite the high school construction.

However, residents reported that even after 15 days, these promises have yet to be fulfilled. Villagers are calling for the swift completion of the new building, repairs or replacements for the dilapidated classrooms, access to safe drinking water, a new toilet, and the installation of a boundary wall.