In government schools in Bihar, children are provided with meals under the 'Mid-Day Meal' program, which includes eggs in its menu and for which separate funds are allocated. However, the situation turned out to be different in one of the government schools in Shivahar: when the District Magistrate (DM) asked the children if they were receiving eggs, the answers surprised the officials.
The children reported: 'Madam, we are not given eggs; we are given cookies.' This raised the question of how egg consumption is accounted for in school documents if the children are not being issued them. The DM requested the school files and discovered invoices for eggs. Following this, she took away the attendance register, Mid-Day Meal supplies, cash book, and other necessary documents.
This incident occurred at the Rajkiya Madhya Vidyalaya Katsari Jagir in the Shivahar district of Bihar. DM Tatpa Tirani arrived at the school for an unscheduled inspection. During the inspection, a mismatch was found between the children's accounts and the data in the school records.
When DM Tatpa Tirani arrived at the school, she checked the learning and nutrition conditions. During this examination, she asked the children about the eggs that should be part of the diet. The children replied that they were not given eggs, but instead were given cookies. In response to this, the DM approached the school teachers, but the educators could not provide a satisfactory explanation.
Subsequently, school documents were requested. The records did indeed show an invoice for eggs, indicating that the provision of eggs was reflected in the paperwork, while the children's words suggested otherwise. The DM immediately removed all important documents for review.
During the inspection, it was noted that the number of students in the school was less than expected. The DM questioned the possibility of a discrepancy between the number of children listed in the school records and the actual number of students. For this reason, the attendance register was seized. It is not yet clear whether there was an error in attendance tracking, which will only become apparent after cross-referencing documents and other records. The DM also demanded attention to cleanliness in the school, emphasizing that negligence regarding the future and nutrition of children is unacceptable.
DM Tatpa Tirani stated that all necessary documents have been seized and will be thoroughly examined. An appropriate decision will be made based on the inspection results. At present, the DM has declined to comment on the details of the case to the cameras. It will now be determined why children were given cookies instead of eggs, on what basis the invoices for eggs were drawn up, and whether the number of children in the records is accurate.
The main question in this situation is: if the children were not given eggs, how could invoices for them have been generated? Were eggs purchased? If so, why did they not reach the children? And if no purchase was made, who recorded it in the records? Answers to these questions will become known after the investigation. Nevertheless, the children's response to the DM's question raised serious questions about the school's operational system. The food children receive in government schools is not just a convenience but a vital system connected to their health and education. Therefore, if the documents state one thing and the plate shows another, accountability must be established.
