Preschool education in Rayagada district is in crisis, with over 569 Anganwadi Centres (AWCs) reported to lack basic infrastructure. These centres, crucial for early childhood education, are struggling despite significant financial investments from both the Centre and state governments.
Preschool education, which prepares young children for formal schooling, is being severely impacted due to inadequate facilities at these AWCs. The lack of proper infrastructure hampers essential services such as vaccination drives, health camps, weight measurements for children, nutritious food supply, and educational activities. Many centres are either housed in dilapidated structures or operate without basic amenities.
In some cases, Anganwadi workers must prepare food in unsanitary conditions outside due to the absence of kitchen facilities. Additionally, some centres function on the verandahs of Anganwadi workers’ or villagers’ homes, further compromising the quality of preschool education. This situation has made it challenging for Anganwadi workers to perform their duties effectively.
Rayagada district is home to 2,082 Anganwadi Centres, of which only 1,513 have proper buildings. The remaining 569 centres lack essential infrastructure. The Department of Elementary Education has approved the construction of 1,807 Anganwadi buildings, but progress is slow. Many construction projects have yet to begin, and others are only partially completed.
Forty-nine Anganwadi Centres across various blocks, including Gudari, Gunupur, Kalyansinghpur, Kolnara, Muniguda, Padmapur, and Rayagada, operate from buildings in poor condition. Additionally, 47 centres are deemed unsafe for various reasons. While 714 centres have toilets and 1,375 are equipped with kitchens, many still lack drinking water facilities, discouraging parents from sending their children.
Jayanti Padmalaya Sahoo, president of the Rayagada unit of the All Odisha Anganwadi Ladies Workers Association, has called for the completion of 294 Anganwadi Centres where construction began in 2020. She urges the state government to expedite their completion and make them operational.
District Social Welfare Officer (DSWO) Pratima Pradhan acknowledged the issue, stating that while some Anganwadi buildings have received government approval, delays are due to land acquisition and other challenges.