Teacher shortage bogs Bhubaneswar slums' 49% govt schools: Odisha NGO survey

By A Representative
Over 49% of Government Schools in Bhubaneswar slums struggle with teacher shortage, revealed a study on "status of school infrastructure in government schools'' conducted by the people's collective Bhubaneswar Bikash Sangathan (BBS) and NGO Atmashakti Trust. The study, which was conducted with 135 schools, found that many schools in the area are not complying with Right to Education (RTE) norms.
According to the study, over 49.61% (67) of government schools in Bhubaneswar slums face a shortage of teachers against the sanctioned number as per RTE norms. Moreover, 58.50% (79) of schools surveyed need class-appropriate classrooms, affecting students' learning outcomes. The report also found that 11% of schools in Bhubaneswar slums face water-related issues, with 3% having no access to drinking water facilities and 5% having damaged sources.
The survey report revealed that 1.48% of schools need toilet facilities, leading to irregular attendance, particularly for girls. Additionally, 5.18% of schools need separate toilets for boys and girls, and 2.22% of school toilets need more water facilities, making them unusable. The report also showed that 11.11% of schools lacked playgrounds, and 8.88% didn't have a boundary wall, which is crucial for student safety and well-being.
The study findings also show that 29.62% of schools lack a library, an essential resource for teaching and learning. Additionally, 27.40% of surveyed schools need computers, hindering students' access to new skills and more advanced versions of lessons. Further, 59.25% of schools need repairs, causing delays and difficulties for students and staff.
Members of the Bhubaneswar Bikash Sangathan have urging the government to implement a transparency board in schools to inform compliance with RTE norms. They also want the authorities to fulfil basic infrastructural requirements, initiate community-driven social Aaudits, and provide adequate funds to panchayats/ wards to meet infrastructural needs to address the issue.
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Click here for study report

Kutch water crisis deepens: Bhuj lost 54 of its 82 lakes; pastoralists migrate first time since 2018

By Rajiv Shah A comprehensive new report by Homes In The City (HIC), a Bhuj-based civil society programme, has revealed that despite late monsoon rains easing Kutch's immediate drought conditions, the region faces a deepening water security crisis — with Bhuj having lost more than half of its historic lakes and pastoral communities forced to migrate for the first time since 2018.

From a cowshed to a home: How Mangaltai's Palawi gives HIV-positive children a second life

By Dr A.V. Yadappanavar * In a small village called Takli, not far from the temple town of Pandharpur in Maharashtra, there is a home where children who were once abandoned because of their HIV status now find food, medicine, education, and something even rarer — love without fear. The home is called Palawi, and it was founded in 2001 by Mangal Shah, affectionately known as Mangaltai, a social worker who could not look away from children rejected by their own families.

Tribal rights under siege: Roundtable Seeks strong legal defence of land, jobs and PESA

By A Representative Tribal rights activists, legal experts, tribal leaders, former officials and civil society representatives from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana have called for urgent action on tribal land rights, employment and PESA safeguards. They were participating in roundtable on Constitutional Safeguards for Scheduled Tribes in the Telugu States at the Centre for Economic and Social Studies (CESS), Hyderabad. Former Governor Ch. Vidyasagar Rao chaired the deliberations.

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