Jajpur: At first glance, Santara Primary School appears to be an ordinary institution in Vyasanagar, Jajpur district of Odisha. However, a closer look reveals severe infrastructural challenges that have plagued the school for years. Although located in an urban area just 500 meters from a main highway, the school gets inundated every monsoon, turning it into a virtual pond that students cross daily. The lack of proper drainage infrastructure has left students and teachers trudging through muddy water, facing health hazards, and risking injury.
The situation has been particularly frustrating for parents, who feel the government’s promises of educational improvement under the 5T initiative have not yielded result. Despite massive funds reportedly allocated to this project, local residents say the those have had little impact on the ground. Basic requirements, such as a secured main entrance, proper internal roads, and drainage facilities, are absent, leaving the premises to deteriorate year after year.
Padmanav Dwivedi, the school’s principal said, “Every year, we report the conditions to the municipal office and local representatives. But no one addresses the root of the issue—lack of a proper drainage system. Instead, water collects on the grounds, submerging our labs, libraries, and even playgrounds.”
The flooding is more than an inconvenience; it’s a health hazard. Manashwini Panda, a young student, described walking to school through waterlogged paths filled with debris and sewage. “Our feet get itchy, and sometimes we get blisters. We’re even scared of snakes hiding in the water,” she said. Dhananjay Nayak, another student, explained that whenever he and his classmates get wet from the stagnant water, they often end up missing classes.
Complaints from students and teachers about the persistent flooding have gone unanswered, leading to a drop in attendance as children avoid the school altogether. Parents, frustrated by the government’s inaction, warned of protest if conditions do not improve soon. “If the situation isn’t resolved quickly, we may be forced to take action on the highway,” a concerned parent said.
The Vyasanagar Municipality has acknowledged the complaints. The Executive Officer Namrata Modi assured that steps will be taken after discussions with departmental officials. However, Modi’s reassurances are viewed with skepticism by local residents who have waited years for improvements.
Besides, essential amenities meant for children’s development, such as science labs, libraries, and playground swings, remain under water and unusable. Teachers, who already have limited resources, are struggling to maintain regular classes amid these challenges.
Despite repeated reminders from school authorities, the drainage problem remains unresolved. The primary cause is attributed to the blocking of drainage channels by nearby businesses and other structures. Local residents and school staff are afraid, the situation may escalate further.
With classrooms becoming inaccessible and playgrounds unusable, children have limited options for learning and recreation.
School Transformation under 5T
More than 8000 schools were taken up under 5T High School Transformation Programme during the previous BJD government. The transformation of schools was started by then chief minister Naveen Patnaik on February 16, 2021 from Hinjilikatu in Ganjam district. An amount of Rs 1,000 crore was mobilised from CSR funds and alumni associations contributed Rs 230 crore for the purpose. The programme started for classes 9 and 10 in government schools, in three phases. The department, headed by former bureaucrat VK Pandian, began the programme soon after Covid19 with the aim of giving less-privileged students access to the benefits of digital education.
,
