Jeypore,15th July 2025 : In Digapur, under Kundura Block of Koraput district, students and their parents locked the gate of the Government High School in protest, demanding the opening of Class 9 and 10.
According to them, the school currently offers education only from Class 1 to 8, and the villagers have long been demanding the inclusion of Classes 9 and 10. The school caters to students from two nearby Gram Panchayats, and despite repeated appeals, the request remains unfulfilled.
Earlier, officials from the Education Department visited the school and granted approval for the opening of the new classes. However, teachers of the school later objected, claiming there was no additional infrastructure (classroom space) to accommodate two more classes. As a result, the proposal has now been stalled.
Villagers allege that the teachers, knowing full well the future of students is at stake, are refusing the upgrade simply to avoid increased workload. As a solution, the parents and villagers are demanding the transfer of existing teachers and the appointment of new ones, along with the immediate opening of Class 9 and 10.
Once the protest reached the notice of the Kundura Block Education Officer, intervention was made and the school gate was unlocked. However, the villagers have warned of a larger agitation in the coming days if their demands are not met.
During the protest, several community members and leaders actively participated, including:
School President: Basanta Kumar Das
SMC Members: Saan Odari, Govinda Tara Sia, Narasingha Acharya, Bali Naraji, Sridhar Benu
Educationists, intellectuals, and social workers: Prabhakar Mishra, Jitendra Panigrahi, Upendra Panigrahi
Digapur Sarpanch: Neela Nayak
Samiti Member: Gupt Odari
All extended their support to the demand for educational access and infrastructure development in the village.
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