Bihar school uses benches as fuel for cooking, probe ordered
The Bihar Education Department is investigating claims that wooden benches for students were used as fuel for cooking mid-day meals at a government school in Patna district. A video from Upgraded Middle School in Bihar's Bihta block went viral on social media, leading to the inquiry. Reportedly, the school allowed benches to be used as fuel due to insufficient funds for proper fuel.
Why does this story matter?
Bihar is the poorest state in the country vis-à-vis GDP per capita income. Apart from the incidents of insects and reptiles being found in the mid-day meals, government schools in Bihar often reel with a dearth of money and basic amenities. A recent survey by a volunteer group, Jan Jagran Shakti Sangathan, showed that government schools in Bihar are battling a shortage of infrastructure, teachers, textbooks, and uniforms, among many others.
Video shows woman pushing bench into earthen oven
The viral video appears to show a woman pushing a school bench into a burning earthen oven to cook a meal. A large pot is visible on the stove, with something cooking inside, likely intended for students. The incident came to light shortly after the local Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MLA, Bhai Birendra, took note of the incident and reported it to the authorities. He had recently donated money for the benches.
Chameleon found in mid-day meal
In September last year, nearly 50 school children in Sitamarhi district's Dumra Block experienced stomach pain and vomiting after eating a mid-day meal at a primary school. Dr Sudha Jha revealed that the children found a chameleon in their meal. "All the children here are stable and symptom-free". "We have kept them under observation. Everything is normal now. Their parents are with them. There is nothing to worry about," she confirmed.
Warning against private tutoring by government school teachers
Meanwhile, the government in Bihar has also issued a strict order against private tutoring by government school teachers. Education Department Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) KK Pathak, in a letter to district magistrates on Monday, asked them to take written undertakings from all private coaching centers that "no government school teachers will take classes in their institutions." In Bihar, governed by Nitish Kumar, approximately 1.18 crore schoolchildren eat mid-day meals daily.
