Bhubaneswar, June 21: In a surprise visit on Saturday, Odisha School and Mass Education Minister Nityananda Gond expressed serious concern over extremely poor student attendance at the Government Girls’ High School in Pakanagaon village of Kandhamal district.

Out of 378 enrolled students, only five were present, prompting the Minister to convene an on-spot meeting with school staff. Visibly upset, he reprimanded the teachers and questioned their commitment to ensuring basic student attendance.

“Today is the second day after schools reopened following summer vacation, yet attendance is abysmally low. I am deeply saddened by this state of affairs,” Gond told the media.

The Minister directed teachers to take immediate and proactive steps to encourage students to return to school and attend regularly. He also instructed them to maintain school cleanliness and the garden, and emphasized that teachers must discharge their duties sincerely. The staff assured him of prompt corrective measures.

Minister Gond announced plans to conduct more surprise inspections across Odisha to assess teacher accountability and school functioning. He warned that non-compliance with norms will lead to disciplinary action and said a review meeting with the District Magistrate would be held soon to address the issue comprehensively.

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