Challenges Faced by Students in Odisha as Teachers’ Strike Continues
Students in Odisha face major learning disruptions due to ongoing teachers’ strikes, severe teacher shortages, school closures, and unmet demands of primary teachers. The crisis continues to affect education quality across the state.
Challenges Faced by Students in Odisha as
Teachers’ Strike Continues
CNB World Times
Bhubaneswar, 9th December, 25: Students across Odisha are facing serious problems as primary school teachers continue their strike for the fourth day. The strike has come at a crucial time, when students are preparing for exams. Every year, such strikes take place regularly during the exam period, creating major disruptions in education.
Odisha is already struggling with a large shortage of teachers. Many schools have only one teacher managing four to five classes at the same time. Once it was a news, the Hindi teacher handled all subjects because there were no other teachers available. As a result, students are not getting proper classroom teaching, leading to a heavy loss in learning.
The situation became worse after the government added Shishu Vatika to primary schools, bringing in very young children who earlier studied in Anganwadi Kendras. This has increased the workload on already overburdened teachers. The previous government, which stayed in power for 24 years, and the ruling party that supported it for 9 years, failed to appoint the required number of teachers. Many schools were also closed earlier, and teachers were transferred to other schools facing shortages.
This year again, thousands of primary school teachers, under the banner of Prathamika Shikshyak Mahasangha, gathered in Bhubaneswar and started day-and-night protests in front of the Odisha Assembly. They are demanding a pay hike, upgradation of posts to Level-2, a salary of ₹35,400 with a grade pay of ₹4,200, and regular service benefits with pension.
The teachers say that many other states already pay primary teachers a starting salary of ₹35,400 or more. But Odisha remains at the bottom with only ₹2,200 as grade pay. Ranjan Das, the convenor of the association, warned that the protest would intensify if their demands are not met by December 10.
Due to this protest, the functioning of primary schools across the state has been badly affected. Very few teachers are available in schools, and those who are present are struggling to manage classes. Teachers from other schools have been sent on deputation, but this has not solved the problem. The Education Department has also sought details of teachers who are absent since December 6. Some teachers were even removed from the protest site for not having proper permission.
School and Mass Education Minister Nityananda Gond said that the government is ready to discuss the issues with the protesting teachers. He added that it is not possible to fulfil all demands in one day, but the government will give importance to them. He appealed to the teachers to return to work in the interest of students.
Meanwhile, school cooks have also protested at Mahatma Gandhi Marg demanding an increase in their monthly remuneration to ₹13,860.
As political parties raise the issue in the Assembly, the biggest sufferers are the students. With frequent strikes, teacher shortages, and irregular classes, the quality of education in Odisha continues to fall. Education experts say that a weak schooling system cannot build a strong future for children. Unless a long-term solution is found, the learning loss caused today may never be recovered.
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