Koraput: The Kotia Ashram Vidyalay, a residential school meant for the SC and ST students, under Pottangi block in the district provides a contrast picture of the government's claim on taking good care of the state's education.
The school, which has classes from I to VII with 460 inmates, including 150 girls, is situated at a distance of about 60km from here at Kotia bordering Andhra Pradesh.
The school does not have adequate teachers, classrooms, hostel accommodation, toilets and even boundary walls or water facilities.
The students are forced to stay inside the classrooms because of the lack of infrastructure, . Besides, absence of adequate water facility has forced them to depend on the polluted stream water, flowing near the school, for bathing and washing clothes.
"Each day, we have to go near the stream for bathing. Though it's very risky in the rainy season, but we are left with no other option. As the school doesn't have toilets, our problems compound," said a girl student of Class VII.
With leaking roofs, the condition of 150 girl students staying in a 40 student-capacity building speaks volumes of the inmates' plight.
Quality education has almost collapsed at the school as it has only four teachers, including the headmaster, against the sanctioned strength of six. Mathematics, science and English subjects cannot be taught at the school because of the absence of teachers.
"With only one tube well at the school, the students are facing problem. They have to depend on the nearby stream. The school requires additional classrooms and hostel buildings to accommodate the students," said Suresh Chandra Das, a senior teacher of the school.
Project administrator of the Integrated Tribal Development Agency (Koraput) Manoranjan Nayak said: "Construction of two classrooms, a staff quarters and one kitchen hall is nearing completion and will shortly be handed over to the school authorities. Also, a spring-based drinking water project is under construction at the school, and once it is completed, the water problem of the students could also be addressed."
Koraput collector K. Sudarshan Chakravarthy said: "Special focus is being given to the development of Kotia and the school infrastructure will shortly be strengthened on a priority basis."