Koraput/Kotpad: One of the oldest high schools in Koraput district is the Government High School, Kotpad, established in 1944. Over the years, many students from this school have gone on to become IAS officers, doctors, politicians, and even football players. Recently, the students of this school have brought pride to Kotpad by excelling in the Science Exhibition, securing positions at the state level six times, zonal level twice, and even at the national level once. The school has also made a name for itself in sports.
Despite its glorious past, the school is now facing a severe crisis. The issue is not a lack of infrastructure but a shortage of teachers. With the matriculation examination approaching, students of Class 10 are struggling as their syllabus remains incomplete due to the lack of teachers.
Currently, around 500 students are enrolled in classes from Grade 1 to Grade 10. In the primary section, eight teachers are managing somehow, but for Grades 9 and 10, the school authorities are facing extreme difficulties. There are 151 students across three sections in Grade 9 and 99 students in two sections in Grade 10. However, there is only one science teacher, one mathematics teacher, one Sanskrit teacher, one Hindi teacher, and four arts teachers—making a total of just eight teachers to handle all the students.
A concerning issue is that the school has had no permanent headmaster since 2017. The Hindi teacher, being the senior-most faculty member, has been managing the responsibilities, but he is set to retire in September. After his retirement, the school’s administration is expected to face even more challenges due to the inexperience of junior teachers.
Recently, Minister Nityananda Gond attended a district-level cultural program at the school. Parents believe that he is aware of the teacher shortage and hope that he will take immediate steps to fill the vacant teaching positions. Additionally, they have requested the appointment of an experienced headmaster. Parents have also submitted a formal request to Minister Nityananda Gond and Kotpad MLA Rupu Bhatra, urging them to take action.
During discussions with MLA Rupu Bhatra, he assured them that he takes this matter seriously and will soon discuss it with the Education Minister to resolve the issue at the earliest.