Schoolgirls from Maharashtra did something that forced the administration to take action. In the Karjat area, located in Raigad, the road condition had been extremely poor for a long time. The road had large potholes, and during the rains, they filled with water, creating significant difficulties for the students.
However, instead of just observing this problem, the girls took certain actions, thanks to which they are now praised everywhere.
Discussions about transforming the state school system continue in the state of Bihar, with proposals for building new buildings, implementing smart classrooms, and improving conditions. However, the Aaj Tak team discovered a completely different picture in government schools in districts such as Saharsa, Paschim Champaran, Begusarai, Muzaffarpur, and Kamur.
Many educational institutions are still awaiting the construction of buildings. Children are studying in huts, under trees, or under metal sheds, and in some cases, several classes are held in one room.
In Saharsa, primary education takes place either under a hut shed or under a tree. In Baga, Paschim Champaran, the first grade is still held under a tree. In Begusarai, the entire school fits into one room and a corridor.
In Muzaffarpur, over 200 children study in two rooms and an old metal shed, while in Kamur, due to the dilapidated building and lack of space, several lessons have to be conducted simultaneously.
Although these snapshots are from different districts, their story is largely similar. The Aaj Tak team visited government schools in Saharsa, Paschim Champaran, Begusarai, Muzaffarpur, and Kamur. The reality on the ground has raised the question of when children in schools that still lack basic amenities such as buildings, toilets, drinking water, and sufficient rooms will benefit from education improvement programs.
Photographs of two primary schools in the villages of Maina Patti and Jhitkiya, Sonbarsa block, demonstrate that the shortage of buildings remains a serious problem. The primary school in Maina Patti village operates entirely in a hut. All classes from first to fifth grade take place in this hut.
There are 55 students enrolled in this school, and five teachers work there. There are only nine desks for sitting: two for the first to fourth grades and one for the fifth grade. The school lacks a toilet, library, or water supply system. Headmistress Kumari Ranjan reports that teachers bring water from home. During the rainy season, the hut's roof starts leaking, sometimes forcing classes to be suspended. Furthermore, the teachers do not have a separate rest room. Several letters have been sent to the district administration and the education department requesting the construction of a building, but work has not yet begun.
Another situation was revealed: a teacher of Urdu, Mohammad Shahjahan, is assigned to the school, but no student has enrolled in Urdu classes. Consequently, he teaches Hindi, mathematics, ecology, and other subjects so as not to disrupt the children's learning process.
The primary school in Jhitkiya village, Sonbarsa, was opened in 2007. Nearly 20 years later, the school has still not been able to build its own building. First and second-grade children sit under a tree. Classes from third to fifth grade take place in a temporary structure built on the land of a local resident, Kashi Babu. There are 91 children enrolled in the school, and four teachers work there. Teacher Rita Devi notes that applications for building a school have been submitted repeatedly. Officials have visited, but a permanent solution has not been found. The water from the school's pump contains a lot of iron, so it cannot be drunk. The principal's office is also located in a small storage room. Learning suffers the most during the rainy season.
The government primary school at Kunai Laxmipur in Devariya Taruanwa village has been waiting for a building for 14 years. After the old building fell into disrepair, a local resident donated land for the school. Nevertheless, a new building has not been constructed. As a result, residents collected funds and built a four-room metal shed. Currently, classes from second to fifth grade take place in this shed, and the first grade is under a tree. The school has 106 children and six teachers. Since there is no kitchen, children have to walk about a kilometer to get hot meals. In summer, the shed gets very hot, and during the rain, classes are often interrupted.
The new primary school in Mathiani block, Dhobi Tole, functions in one room of a public building and a corridor. 112 children study here. First and second grades take place in the corridor, while third, fourth, and fifth grades are held in one room.
Two teachers teach different classes from the same board. The children do not have desks. The school also lacks a pump and a toilet. Five female teachers are forced to use toilets in neighboring houses.
At Maya Talim school, with no building, more than 228 children from first to eighth grade are enrolled. Only two rooms and one dilapidated metal shed are provided for the entire school. Classes from first to fifth grade take place in one room. Students of sixth, seventh, and eighth grades study under the shed. The school has no tables. Children sit on mats. During the rain, water drips from the shed, and strong winds pose a risk of the board falling. Conducting multiple classes simultaneously also negatively affects learning.
At Akhalaspur primary school, there are only three teachers for 99 children. In the three rooms of the school...
A serious traffic jam has once again occurred on the Badrinath-Hemkund tourist route in Joshimath. Long queues of vehicles stretch for many kilometers from the gas station to Mariwadi, including the Zeroband and Marawadi areas. Thousands of pilgrims, local residents, schoolchildren, and kanwadis have been stuck in the traffic jam for over three hours.
The main reason for the congestion is the road widening work being carried out on the section from the gas station to Mariwadi. Construction materials scattered along the road create significant difficulties for vehicle passage. In several places, the road has narrowed, leading to long queues on both sides.
The situation is so tense that transport can barely move forward; as soon as some cars pass, the jam quickly reappears. This hinders normal movement, forcing people to wait a long time for the road to clear. Schoolchildren, pilgrims on the way, local residents, and a large number of kanwadis are experiencing the greatest inconvenience.
After receiving information about the traffic jam, Joshimath police officers arrived at the scene. The police are attempting to normalize traffic flow. However, due to construction work and the constant influx of traffic, the situation remains difficult and requires time to stabilize. According to available information, some vehicles are getting stuck in the mud, and trucks are blocking the road, leading to frequent disruptions in movement. The stalling of one vehicle causes a long queue behind it, which exacerbates the congestion.
The entire area from Zeroband to Mariwadi is currently under pressure from the traffic flow. Thousands of vehicles are stopped on the road, and passengers are waiting for a long time. The police are continuously trying to move the vehicles, but they have not yet managed to completely eliminate the jam. Currently, the situation on the Badrinath-Hemkund route remains difficult, and due to the impact of road works and the continuous increase in people, pilgrims, local residents, schoolchildren, and kanwadis are facing major difficulties.
A viral video showing meals from the school canteen (mid-day meal) has surfaced in Sitapur, Uttar Pradesh. The children's plates contained burnt flatbreads and vegetable stew resembling water, raising questions about the low quality of food provided using public funds.
The video, shot at Chhangapur Primary School in the Mahmudabad district, became a subject of public discussion. In addition to concerns about food quality, it highlighted the issue of misappropriation of government money allocated for the mid-day meal program.
After the video reached the administration, an investigation was conducted. District Magistrate Raja Ganapati AR took the situation seriously. Initially, administrative measures were taken: school director Kalpana Verma and cook Anita were placed under scrutiny, and a negative record was issued against regional education director Udayamani Patel.
According to the complaint by regional education director Udayamani Patel, the police registered a First Information Report (FIR) against school director Kalpana Verma and cook Anita. The accusation states that government funds allocated for the mid-day meal were not used according to established standards. An allegation of embezzlement of funds, involving the director and cook, has also been made, which resulted in substandard food being served to the children.
Thus, the incident went beyond just poor nutrition and turned into a case of alleged misuse of public finances. The goal of the mid-day meal program is to provide nutritious food to children attending government schools to improve their health and academic performance. However, the appearance of burnt flatbreads and watery stew on children's plates casts doubt on the entire system. Currently, the police have registered the case and initiated an investigation.
