After years of neglect, the only Ol-Chiki medium school in the Old Malda block has finally caught the attention of the state government.

The school education department has sanctioned 12 teaching posts for the Thukrabari Ol Chiki High School that was founded in 2013, and has forwarded the proposal to the finance department for final approval.

The school, which caters to around 80 students, mostly from underprivileged tribal families, is also set to benefit from a newly constructed classroom scheduled to open from August 1.

District inspector of schools (secondary education) Banibrata Das, along with assistant inspector of schools Jayanta Sarkar, visited the school on Saturday to assess the existing infrastructure and discuss a roadmap for development.

“We interacted with guardians and local residents, who said that the school had no permanent teachers. Only two primary-level teachers, Dilip Hembram and Ukil Hansda have been voluntarily taking high school classes,” Das said.

While on the school premises, Das contacted Mahadev Soren, joint director of the school education department.

“There was a great sense of joy when the joint director informed us that 12 teaching posts have already been sanctioned and sent to the finance department for clearance,” Das added.

Tribal parents of the area have welcomed the news.

Kumita Soren, a guardian, said: “We were extremely concerned about our children’s education in the absence of permanent teachers. Now that full-time teaching will resume, we are relieved.”

Other challenges remain. The school still faces a shortage of classrooms, benches, and desks. Students from Classes VI to X currently share space with primary students.

“Two new classrooms have been built and will be ready by August 1. High school students will then be shifted there,” said Sarkar, who played a crucial role in founding the school in 2013.

Teacher-in-charge Dilip Hembram highlighted the lack of textbooks in many subjects.

“Eight of our students will appear in next year’s Madhyamik. The DI of Schools has assured us that the book shortage will be resolved shortly.”

Hembram also noted that student strength had declined in recent years.