1 teacher, 5 classes: Chhattisgarh's single-room school highlights rural education challenges

Students in Alkanhar village of Chhattisgarh's Mohla-Manpur-Ambagarh Chowki district continue to study in a single-room school, where one teacher handles five different classes at the same time. The overcrowded classroom creates constant noise, making it difficult for children to concentrate and learn effectively. The situation becomes even worse during the monsoon, as rainwater enters the classroom, forcing lessons to stop and leaving students without a proper place to sit.

Teacher Bhagat Singh said managing multiple classes in one room is extremely challenging and that construction of a new school building has stalled for unknown reasons. Students say they struggle to study because of the noise and flooding and hope for a permanent school building. District education officials acknowledged that around 176 schools in the district face similar conditions and said proposals for additional teachers and temporary arrangements have been submitted, pending approval and funding.