Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has asked district collectors to immediately deploy teachers in elementary schools for compliance with the provisions of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009. Seeking an action taken report (ATR) within a fortnight, the Secretary asked collectors that priority should be accorded to schools having higher student enrolment. Official sources said that the State has as many as 1,458 single-teacher schools affecting the education of nearly 60,000 students as of the 2025–26 academic session. Such a situation adversely affects the quality of education and is inconsistent with the norms prescribed under the RTE Act,” Naik mentioned in the letter. Therefore, the Secretary asked the district collectors to complete the rationalisation of such schools in a month and furnish an action taken report (ATR) in this regard to the department within 15 days of receipt of this letter.