Keonjhar: School education in Keonjhar district is facing serious challenges, with 105 government high schools operating without headmasters.
The issue came to light after the district performed the worst in the matriculation examination this year. According to government data, 1,379 students in the district failed the High School Certificate (HSC) examination, the highest number of failures in the state. Due to the poor results, District Education Officer (DEO) Purnachandra Bariha sought reports from all headmasters to review the school’s performance. Subsequently, show-cause notices were issued to the headmasters of poorly performing schools, directing them to ensure regular teaching and monitoring of studies.
Despite repeated instructions from the Directorate of Secondary Education, many headmasters are reportedly not holding regular classes. According to an instruction under Letter No. 9341 dated April 15, 2024, headmasters were instructed to hold at least two classes daily.
However, this order is reportedly being ignored in many schools. Parents have expressed concern that many of the schools where headmasters are posted are confining themselves to administrative tasks rather than teaching.
The problem is exacerbated by a shortage of teachers in many schools, affecting classroom teaching in several subjects. The crisis is further exacerbated by vacant headmaster positions. Of the 204 government high schools in Keonjhar district, 105 currently do not have headmasters.
It is reported that the vacant posts have not been filled due to delays in appointing promoted teachers as headmasters. These vacant posts are spread across several blocks and urban local bodies, including Anandapur, Champua, Banspal, Ghasipura, Ghatagao, Harichandanpur, Hatadihi, Jhumpura, Joda, Patana, Saharpada, and Telkoi. Sources said five headmaster positions are vacant in Anandapur block, four in Anandapur municipality, five in Banspal block, 14 in Champua, one in Champua NAC, 11 in Ghasipura block, 10 in Ghatgaon block, five in Harichandanpur block, nine in Hatadihi block, nine in Jhumpura block, five in Joda block, one in Joda municipality, two in Barbil municipality, eight in Keonjhar Sadar block, one in Keonjhar municipality, six in Patna block, three in Saharpara block, and six in Telkoi block.
Officials and education professionals say the shortage of headmasters has hampered school administration, delayed mental development, weakened academic monitoring, and hampered the submission of government-required reports.
The situation has also affected the higher secondary section in schools upgraded from high schools, with both Plus II and secondary-level studies being affected due to administrative and academic gaps.
