No Teacher in School: Don’t expect too much from us, students write in answer scripts

Jajpur: The Class 9 students of a government-run high school in Jajpur district resorted to a unique way of protesting the lack of a classical teacher in their school. They mentioned about the issue in their answer scripts during the half yearly examination held on Saturday that they don’t have Sanskrit teacher, so don’t expect too much from them.

The bizarre incident has been reported from Prahalad Chandra Brahmachari High School at Adanga under Jajpur block in the district. According to reports, 95 students study in Class 9 in Prahalad Chandra Brahmachari High School this academic year. The half yearly examination for Class 9 students is going on. Absence of Sanskrit teacher in the school had resulted in no classes for the subject for the past five months. As the Sanskrit examination was conducted on Saturday, the students wrote in their answer scripts that nothing much should be expected from them as they don’t have teacher. Slamming the school authorities for lack of Sanskrit teacher, the Class 9 students wrote in their answer scripts, “We do not have Sanskrit teacher. We have written whatever we know. So, don’t expect too much from us.”

“We have not been taught Sanskrit since the commencement of Class 9. So how will we be able to write the answers,” questioned a student who does not want to be named.

The students and their parents have demanded immediate appointment of a Sanskrit teacher as the annual HSC examinations for Class X students is nearing. “The government transformed our high school under the 5T project but failed to provide two teachers (Sanskrit and Trained Graduate) to the school the posts of which have been lying vacant for the past six months. As a result, both Classes 9 and 10 students have not been taught anything in History, Geography and Sanskrit. If both the teachers are not provided to the school, students of Classes 9 and 10 will suffer the most as the annual examination is nearing,” said Dipinita Kar, a student guardian.

Notably, both Sanskrit and a Trained Graduate teachers of the school were deployed to other two schools in the district over administrative reasons six months back. As a result, classes in Sanskrit, History and Geography subjects are not being conducted since reopening of the school in June last.

The local Sarpanch and School Managing cCommittee (SMC) had earlier met the Collector and the District Education Officer regarding the posting of both the teachers in the school, but no step has been taken. Contacted, Jajpur District Education Officer (DEO) Nibedita Pani pleaded ignorance regarding the matter. “The matter is not in my knowledge. I will make an inquiry and after that I will let you know,” said the DEO.