*Students and parents turn away from school due to lack of proper infrastructure*

Damnajodi: Students and parents turn away from school due to lack of proper infrastructure, such a picture can be seen in Bhejaput village under Charangul Gram Panchayat under Similiguda Block of Koraput district. In 1990, a primary school was first established in a shack 40 decimeters away from the village and the school was run by two teachers. However, after running the school there for a few years, in 2005, it was given the status of an upper primary school and a new building was constructed in the middle of the village and shifted. However, the reason for the shift is unclear. Currently, this school is teaching from class I to VIII and four teachers have been appointed here. However, only 50 students are studying in the school, including 5 children from the Bal Batika class that was introduced this year. However, the main reason for the decline in the number of students in the school is its infrastructure.
Since the school is located in the middle of the village, the main road of the village passes through the school. There are classrooms and a meadow on both sides. The noise and movement of pedestrians and vehicles hinders the children's studies. The school does not have a playground or a security wall. Anti-social and illegal people are constantly entering the school premises. There is not even enough space for 100 students to stand for celebrations like Independence Day and Republic Day. Since the private land and houses of the villagers are all around the school, a security wall cannot be built around the school.
While the central and state governments are giving importance and encouragement to education, such a sad picture of Bhejaput Higher Primary School is due to the district administration's negligence or there is some political interference in it, it is difficult for a common man to understand. On the other hand, despite the presence of a NABARATNA like NALCO very close to it, the infrastructure of the school is not being strengthened. However, the opinion expressed in the opinion forum of the village is that the said school in Bhejaput needs to be shifted to another place from the village and a strong infrastructure needs to be established. The villagers have demanded that the district administration take immediate steps in this regard.