Students of Janashakti Government High School in Pentha village, in Odisha, under Marshaghai police limits, staged a dharna and locked the main gate of the institution on Friday, February 17, to protest against the transfer of a teacher. Despite having only eight teachers for around 360 students from Classes I to X, against the sanctioned number of teaching posts in the school being 12, the authorities of the school reportedly transferred one of the science teachers, Dilip Kumar Das, to another school, stated a report by The New Indian Express.

The students and their guardians condemned this move and they accused the school authorities of worsening the teaching staff crunch, which has been adversely affecting the quality of education and students' careers. The guardians' repeated requests to the authorities to address the issue have gone unheard. "The teaching staff crunch has been adversely affecting the quality of education and, in turn, the students' careers. Our repeated requests to the authorities to address the issue has been falling on deaf ears," said a guardian.

Read Also : Chhattisgarh government high school records 100% pass in Board exams; school earns praise

"This 45-year-old school had a glorious past. Many of its students have become teachers, doctors and engineers. But it is sad how the institution is now gasping for breath due to the alleged apathy of the school authorities," said a local, Sarat Das, as reported by The New Indian Express. When TNIE contacted Surama Mohapatra, the district education officer, said that more teachers will be appointed soon.