Kendrapara: After the summer vacation, schools reopened on June 20. However, due to a shortage of teachers, the delivery of quality education has been disrupted. In 85 government high schools across Kendrapara district, there are no appointed headmasters, creating a major administrative and academic gap.
Teacher Shortage in Kendrapara’s Schools
Currently, 246 teaching positions are lying vacant in various schools. With no regular headmasters appointed, assistant teachers are being forced to take on the responsibilities of headmasters. Additionally, some blocks such as Derabish, Ali, and Rajkanika are functioning without regular Block Education Officers (BEOs). Following the retirement of the previous BEO in Rajkanika (who also held charge of Ali block), no new appointment has been made. Moreover, Marshaghai BEO Prafulla Kumar Swaain is set to retire next month, further compounding the administrative challenge.
School Statistics and Distribution
Kendrapara district has a total of 355 high schools, including:
194 Government schools
34 Fully aided schools
106 New aided schools
18 Sanskrit tols
1 Madrasa
Government high schools by block:
Ali block: 27
Derabish block: 20
Garadpur block: 17
Kendrapara block and municipality: 24
Mahakalapada block: 26
Marshaghai block: 18
Pattamundai block and municipality: 28
Rajkanika block: 19
Rajnagar block: 15
Out of these, 337 high schools are part of the school transformation program, where headmasters play a key role in improving the learning environment, ensuring mid-day meal quality, and driving holistic school development.
Lack of Headmasters Affecting Academic and Administrative Functioning
Without appointed headmasters, schools are struggling to manage not just academic instruction but also administrative operations. Important decisions and key activities are being hampered in their absence. Assistant teachers, who are assigned temporary headmaster duties, are unable to teach their original subjects, leading to disruption in subject-specific teaching.
For instance, Baladeb High School, one of the oldest schools in Bhagheswarpur, Kendrapara, has been functioning without a headmaster for the past two years, despite having nearly 400 students. Not only is the headmaster position vacant, but there is a shortage of subject teachers, particularly for classes 1 to 8.
Similarly, although a headmistress was recently appointed to Kendrapara Girls’ High School, she is set to retire this month. Schools like Tarando High School, Kangsar High School, and Indupur Girls’ High School continue to operate without permanent headmasters.
Lack of Appointments in Key Posts
Even schools with DDO powers like BB Model High School (Dohalisahi), Derabish High School, and FH High School (Tendakuda) are facing challenges, as new headmasters have not been appointed after recent transfers.
Additionally, numerous subject teaching positions remain unfilled, including:
55 Trained Arts teachers
41 Trained PCM (Science) teachers
30 Trained CBZ (Biology) teachers
43 Hindi teachers
32 Sanskrit teachers
45 Physical Education teachers
There are also 57 Junior Clerk posts that have not been filled yet.
Education Officer’s Assurance
When contacted, District Education Officer Basanta Kumar Nayak stated that the vacant headmaster positions in government high schools will be filled soon, and after new appointments, the issue of teacher shortage will be resolved.
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