Odisha government withdraws order restricting entry of journalists to schools

BHUBANESWAR : Odisha government has withdrawn its order restricting journalists from entering the premises of schools in some areas following a statewide outrage against the move. The government instruction has been sent to the block education officers withdrawing the July 8 order. The block education officer of Kankadahad in Dhenkanal district in a fresh notification issued on Monday to all headmasters of government schools in the area said “… As per the instruction of the District Magistrate-cum-Collector, Dhenkanal dated 11.07.2022 in the joint public grievance redressal held at Panchayat Samitee Office, Kankadahad regarding unauthorized entry of media persons in the school premises, this office letter No 1066 date 08.07.2022 which was issued earlier is hereby withdrawn,” the letter said.

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In the face of statewide protest against the government’s decision to prohibit the entry of journalists in schools, Dhenkanal collector Saroj Kumar Sethi has clarified that scribes had not been completely barred. They were allowed to enter the premises after school hours to collect information. "Media persons can enter the school premises and discuss matters with the managing committee after the school hours as the visits disturb students when their classes are on. Disturbance during class hours will psychologically impact the minds of the students," he said.

The Odisha government’s ban on the entry of journalists to schools in some areas came after some TV news channels showed how students were poor in mathematics and triggered a political row. The Dhenkanal district education officer had on Saturday directed block education officers and headmasters not to allow unauthorised entry of journalists into schools and classrooms and to report such matters to the police. A similar directive was also issued in the Kendrapara district. Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, OPCC president Sarat Pattnayak and many political leaders and journalists associations had strongly opposed the government’s action.