Bhubaneswar: The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has released a report highlighting significant shortcomings in Odisha’s school education system. The report, which covers the period from 2018-19 to 2022-23, reveals that the state’s school education department failed to utilise funds effectively, leading to a savings and surrender of 12% of the allocated budget.
The audit found that planning for school education was not participatory and bottom-up, as required by the Samagra Shiksha Implementation Framework. District and block-level planning teams were not constituted, and the budget utilisation under the Samagra Shiksha Scheme was between 44% and 50%.
The report also highlights several other concerns, including:
– Declining Enrolment Rates: Gross Enrolment Ratio in Secondary and Higher Secondary levels declined in Odisha, contrary to the national trend.
– Inadequate Infrastructure: Many schools lack basic facilities like ramps, CwSN-friendly toilets, and functional laboratories.
– Shortage of Teachers: An Adverse Pupil-Teacher Ratio was noticed in a significant number of schools.
– Limited Vocational Education: Vocational education was introduced in only 646 schools, against a target of 877.
The CAG report recommends improving planning, infrastructure, and teacher-student ratios to ensure quality education for all
