In a strong move to protect the Right to Education of children across the state, the Odisha Department of School & Mass Education has issued an urgent directive to all District Collectors.
The order, signed by Commissioner-cum-Secretary Dr. N. Thirumala Naik, IAS, on 6 August 2026, demands the immediate deployment and adjustment of teachers in every single-teacher elementary school.
The letter makes it clear that the current situation violates the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009. Sections 19 and 25, along with the Schedule of the Act, prescribe minimum norms for Pupil-Teacher Ratio (PTR) and the number of teachers required in elementary schools. Yet recent UDISE+ data reveals that a considerable number of government schools in Odisha are still running with only one teacher.
This shortage has real consequences. Latest figures show Odisha had 1,458 single-teacher schools in the 2025-26 academic year — a sharp 34% jump from 1,089 schools the previous year. Nearly 60,000 students depend on a single teacher who must handle multiple grades, subjects, and administrative work at the same time. Education experts have long warned that this arrangement severely affects the quality of learning.
Under the new order, Collectors must immediately review the status of all single-teacher schools in their districts and take urgent steps to deploy or adjust teachers so that every school meets the minimum staffing norms. Schools with higher student enrolment will receive priority. The entire rationalisation process has to be completed within one month, and an Action Taken Report must reach the Department within 15 days of receiving the letter.
Copies of the directive have also been sent to the State Project Director of OSEPA, the Director of Elementary Education, and all District Education Officers for necessary follow-up action.
This latest push comes against the backdrop of ongoing efforts by the state to improve school education through rationalisation and consolidation. Officials hope the tight timeline and clear accountability will finally bring relief to thousands of students who have been studying under difficult conditions.
