Despite several programmes launched to encourage children to get enrolled in the Government-run schools in the State, they are less interested to study in these schools whereas private schools manage to attract them with their improved infrastructures and other facilities.
While over 14 lakh students are studying at private schools, several Government schools are running with less than 20 students.
Under its various programmes, the Government is providing free textbooks, uniforms, midday meals, cycles, scholarships along with appointing Shiksha Sahayaks at the primary schools to record largest number of students. However, all the efforts go in vain.
Neither the coastal belt districts nor the tribal districts register hike in student enrolment at the Government primary schools. Even, students are not coming to the schools in the districts like Raygada and Kandhamal.
According to official sources, less than 20 students are enrolled in each of as many as 4,138 primary schools. Meanwhile, the Government has closed 195 schools where less than five students were enrolled. The teachers of these schools have been transferred to other schools.
Eighteen schools were shut down in Kandhamal district while the numbers are 17 in Gajapati, 16 each in Sundargarh and Jharsuguda, 15 in Ganjam, 12 in Rayagada, nine in Koraput, 10 in Subarnapur and eoght each in Boudh and Puri.
According to educational experts, due to several reasons including non-availability of textbooks and lack of standard education parents do not prefer to send their kids to the Government primary schools.