Protest Against School Merger in Odisha: Girl Students and Parents Stage Sit-In Dharna;

According to the police, girl students of a local school, accompanied by their parents, held a sit-in protest against the state government’s decision to merge their school with a boys’ school. During the demonstration, at least five students from Unit-9 Government Girls High School fainted. They were promptly taken to Capital Hospital, where their condition was reported as stable. The state government’s decision to merge Unit-9 Girls High School with Unit-9 Boys High School is intended to facilitate the accommodation and relocation of Rama Devi Women’s Junior College.

The director of the higher secondary school in Odisha has taken action by writing a letter to the special secretary of school and mass education concerning the separation of the infrastructure between RD Women’s Higher Secondary School and Rama Devi Women’s University. This indicates that efforts are being made to address the concerns and issues related to the proposed merger.

Protests and Efforts for Resolution in Odisha

According to the decision, the arts and commerce streams of RD Women’s Higher Secondary School will be shifted to Unit-9 Government Girls’ High School in the first phase. This step aims to accommodate the students and ensure continuity of their education. However, it has been acknowledged that the Unit-9 Government Girls’ High School lacks the necessary laboratory facilities for science education. As a result, science classes will continue to be conducted at Rama Devi Women’s University where appropriate laboratory resources are available.

During the ongoing protests against the merger, Pragyan Paramita Jena, the Bhubaneswar Block Education Officer, made an attempt to engage with the students and their parents. She visited the site of the agitation in order to communicate and discuss the situation with them. However, her efforts to convince the protestors and gain their support for the merger were unsuccessful. The protestors maintained their opposition to the decision and refused to accept the proposed merger.

Before leaving the protest site, Pragyan Paramita Jena expressed her intention to inform the government about the opinions and concerns raised by the girls and their families. This indicates that their voices will be conveyed to the relevant authorities, ensuring that their perspective is considered in the decision-making process.

What’s next?

The situation remains unresolved as the opposing parties maintain their positions. The matter will likely require further discussions and considerations from the concerned authorities to reach a resolution that addresses the concerns of all stakeholders involved.

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