52 students from from 6 classes share 1 classroom, 2 teachers, 2 blackboards at Rourkela govt school

Rourkela: As many as 52 students from six classes — Bal Vatika (kindergarten) to Class V — are forced to study together in a single classroom at a govt primary school in Malgodam area here, severely affecting teaching and learning.Not just this, the school has just two teachers, including the headmaster, and two blackboards, which means only two classes can be taught at a time, with the remaining students sitting idle.Welcome to Government Primary School, Durgapur B, established in 1971. It originally had students from Class I to V, while the Bal Vatika was introduced in 2025, even as the school had only one usable classroom. Another room located at the back of the school is in a dilapidated condition.Despite repeated representations, neither any additional classrooms have been constructed, nor the existing dilapidated room has not been repaired.Headmaster Dilip Kumar Dhal said the issue has been flagged several times. “I joined the school in 2021, and wrote about it to the Rourkela MLA, municipal commissioner and block education officer (BEO), Bisra, in 2023. However, no steps have been taken so far,” he said.Bisra BEO Suprabhat Behera said he had written to the joint commissioner of the Rourkela Municipal Corporation regarding the urgent need for additional classrooms as well as repair of the existing room. “I was assured that necessary action would be taken. I will again pursue the matter to ensure the required infrastructure is provided at the earliest,” he said.