The BJP targeted the State Government over alleged failures in education sector and dared the ruling BJD to give replies to people in this regard on the sixth day of the BJD’s Jansampark Padyatra on Saturday.
“The BJD should inform people as to why all primary and upper primary schools have no classrooms and teachers for each class even after 18 years of its rule,” demanded senior BJP leader Pratap Sarangi.
He said 29,944 of 34,238 primary schools and 11,744 of 17,762 upper primary schools have no classrooms for each class. Similarly, 32,553 primary and 12,466 upper primary schools have not teachers for each class.
Seven per cent of all Government schools are running with a single teacher and a total of 24,446 teacher posts under Sarva Siksha Abhiyan are lying vacant. In Government high schools, as many as 11,341 teacher posts are lying vacant, he rued.
Sarangi wanted that the ruling party set a time limit before the people when these problems would be resolved.
The former MlA also asked the BJD to tell people why students in Government-run high schools are not doing well and, whether for that reason, private schools like Saraswati Shishumandirs are grooming rapidlyIJ
He lamented saying that 79 per cent of primary schools have no playgrounds.
Commenting about the higher education sector, Sarangi wanted that the ruling party clarify as to why the Chief Minister’s assurance to open Model Degree Colleges in eight economically backward districts has not been translated into reality.
He also wanted to know why the Satyabadi Chair of Odia language of the Utkal University has not been working since 1997.
Stating that 526 of total 952 Professor, Reader and lecture posts are lying vacant in Government universities and 86 of 94 Government colleges have no regular Principals, he said the BJD also tell people when these posts would be fill up.
Among others, party’s State spokesperson Sajjan Sharma and State secretary Dilip Mallick were present.