Though the State Government has taken a lot of measures to attract students to schools like midday meal, free distribution of bicycle, books, uniform dresses and several such lucrative offers, yet most schools are showing a decline in the admissions over the years.
Non-availability of adequate and competent teachers in most Government schools in the district is attributed to disenchantment of the common people with the institutions.
There are 355 Government high schools in Ganjam. Though the district was having 250 high schools earlier, but 105 upper primary schools subsequently were upgraded to the status of high schools. All the 250 high schools which were opened earlier were sanctioned the post of head masters, but the 105 schools which were upgraded to the status of high schools are yet to get Government sanction for the post of head masters, sources said.
Again, 203 of the 250 earlier high schools do not have permanent and regular head masters yet, as a result of which the junior teachers of the schools are being kept in-charge of head masters which affects normal functioning of the institutions. Most of the teachers who are performing as in-charge head masters are for subjects like Hindi, Sanskrit and physical education. So the teaching of these subjects is also affected with the concerned teachers engaged in running the institution.
According to rule, only the senior most teachers can be kept in-charge of head master, but in case of Ganjam, there seems to be a deviation, sources said. Moreover, as per the Government norms, the in-charge head master should be a trained graduate (TGT), but teachers without having TGT are being kept in-charge of head master ignoring the seniority, sources said.
In the meantime, the Government has appointed some TGTs on contractual basis. But these teachers are not considered for remaining in charge of head master.
Meanwhile, after repeated complaints with the School and Mass Education authorities as well as the Minister, a high power committee meeting was held at Bhubaneswar on June 11, but later no tangible action was taken to sort out the problem.