UP: 1 teacher for 124 kids, 5 litre water in 2 litre milk for midday meal – Times of India

Pushpa Devi, 50, told TOI she took over teaching duties at the school in Shamli’s Khanpur block after a teacher died of Covid-19 while the other went on medical leave earlier this month.

“I’m the only one running the school since September 5,” said Devi, admitting that she has only taken Hindi and social science classes as she can’t read English and doesn’t have experience teaching mathematics.
The BEO, Geeta Verma, told TOI she will take cognisance of the matter

A letter was written to the district magistrate on Wednesday by zila panchayat member Umesh Kumar after parents of some kids raised concerns about lack of proper education for the children. “Many government schools face unavailability of teachers while poor quality of midday meals is also a common grievance. Why can’t the authorities make temporary arrangements for teachers rather than make students suffer? We have asked the DM to look into this serious issue and appoint four teachers at the institution,” said Kumar.

The basic education officer (BEO) of Shamli, Geeta Verma, meanwhile, told TOI she will take cognisance of the matter. “We can’t control death and illness, but we are looking into the matter,” Verma said.

The primary school is hardly the only one where conditions are deplorable. A video of another primary school from Bulandshahr’s Lakhawati area that went viral earlier this week purportedly showed the cook mixing 5 litres of water in 2 litres of milk to feed 100 students for their midday meal.

BEO Akhand Pratap Singh said the school principal and an assistant teacher have been suspended. “I have also stopped the salaries of two teachers, one shiksha mitra and three cooks. The matter is being investigated,” he said. The teachers of the school declined to comment on the issue.

In yet another incident of cutting corners for midday meals, an inspection by Virendra Kumar, the divisional coordinator of midday deal (MDM), earlier this month found that a school in Hapur’s Pipleheda block with 1,330 students was serving only half the required portion to students and chapatis were being ordered from a roadside dhaba, instead of being cooked in school. The students were provided uniform or utensils.

“The food was being prepared at gram pradhan’s home and chapatis were ordered from a dhaba. Teachers seemed to have no idea what the ideal proportion of food was for kids in each grade or what was on the day’s menu. A detailed report has been submitted in the matter and a notice issued to the school principal,” Kumar said.