Open schools that remain shut

Koraput: Residents of Mungar Gumi in Pottangi block under Sunki Panchayat recall the existence of the upper primary school in their village for decades, but don't remember when it was last opened. The tribal villagers can't read or write Odia. Excepting a few words, they concede their inability to even understand the language.
A few searching questions bring to the fore fascinating insights into the state of education in not just Mungar Gumi in Koraput district, but almost in all villages in the vicinity.
Scores of schools, especially in areas bordering Andhra Pradesh and in remote, hilly and inaccessible places in the region, function on record, but remain closed in reality. Primary education has completely collapsed, said a senior district official.
Records show the school has classes till VII, 44 students and three teachers. The students are served mid-day meals and new students take admission in the beginning of academic year. But the villagers tell a different story.
Recently, when this reporter reached Mungar Gumi after trekking over one kilometre in the hilly terrain from Sunki, the school was found to be shut. The campus wore a deserted look. The verandah was dusty and cobwebswere hanging all over, suggesting it had not opened for months.
None in the village could say when the school was last opened, teachers came and students attended classes. "The school is rarely opened. There is not a single child in the village who can read, write or understand Odia," said Tamal Parmesh, a villager.
The fact that these schools are located in remote pockets come in handy for teachers to bunk classes and officials to remain silent.
Mungar Gumi is no isolated a case. "A few years ago, the school building was constructed in our village, but classes are not held regularly. The school opens on the wish of the teacher," said Genai Palipadu, an elderly man of Royal Padu village, about two km from Mungar Gumi. Villagers of yet another village, Nimal Padu, had similar observations.
The officials, however, expressed their helplessness to improve the situation. "Many times, action has been taken against teachers and salaries withheld. A number of teachers have been suspended, but nothing has helped improve the situation," said Dayasindhu Bagh, assistant block education officer, Pottangi. "We will conduct a fresh investigation into the functioning of the schools and initiate action against the erring teachers," he said.
However, many said providing residential facilities to students in schools could solve the problem. "Instead of constructing a school in each village, big residential schools should be built in inaccessible areas. The teachers should also be provided with quarters at those places," said Sanjit Patnaik, secretary Sova, a voluntary organisaiton, which has provided teaching and learning materials in Kuvi, Gadaba and Paraja languages to around 50 schools in the district.