The State Government has been taking several initiatives to reduce school dropouts, but in the district here, the situation is totally different.

In Gumura village, due to lack of basic amenities and infrastructure development, the students are forced to leave their studies midway after completing up to Class VIII.

Though several times the villagers have brought their sorry plight before the district administration, besides the local MlA and other political leaders, but they have got no relief.

Every year the children of Gumura village under Rangani panchayat in Rajnagar block have to leave their studies due to lack of educational institution in the locality. The children of this far flung coastal village, after completing their studies in 5th class in their village project primary school, go to Junusnagar school by crossing the crocodile infested Patasala river by ferry boat. After that more than 85 per cent of 8th pass out students have to drop out due to lack of communication to the schools located in distance places.

According to one Srikant Maiti, a villager of Gumura, a project primary school is at their village since 2008. Students generally study from class 1 to class 5th in the school and then move to Junusnagar school to study up to 8th class. But ferrying in boat everyday for the tiny students is not always a smooth affair.

In order to ferry the river, they have wade through knee deep river water to reach to the boat. There is always a lurking fear of mishap and crocodile attack, said Ashis Hati, a class VII student.

After completion of 8th class, if a student wants to go for higher studies, then he/she has to undertake a more hazardous journey. The options are Dighi-based Binapani High school or Chanrakola High School. Either way a student has to undertake boat journey and walk a long distance to reach the school, alleged Saraswati Giri, a class 8th student.

“Though several of us desire to complete matriculation, but due to lack of communication facilities, we have to leave the studies,” stated a school Rinarani Bera, a dropout.

Though the villagers demanded to construct a jetty on the river embankment and a bridge on the river, but as the village located within the Bhitarkanika National Park, so the forest department has put a spoke on the construction of jetty.

When contacted, Rajnagar BDO Maitri Bhattacharya informed that the matter has come to her notice and she would take the necessary step.