Many students leave school after taking MDM in Buxar

Kumar Rajiv Nayan

Buxar : Bihar government’s efforts to streamline the education system and impart quality education to students notwithstanding, teaching in schools particularly in primary and middle schools remains in shambles. Thousands of students are enrolled in schools but majority of them in rural areas come to their respective school only for Midday Meal (MDM). They prefer to remain at their homes to due to lack of basic amenities and infrastructure and also teachers at schools. Several Primary and Middle schools in Buxar district have only one teacher while the school buildings are in dilapidated condition.

A glaring example of this is the Primary School, Manpa, under Chaugai block in Buxar district. The school has only one teacher Sita Kumari who seldom comes to school on time and whenever asked about her late arrival, she makes some excuse.  Most of the students come to school after preparation of MDM and after taking MDM, they leave the school. It is their daily routine. The school lacks basic amenities hence the students and even the teacher are forced to go outside to defecate. Sita Kumari said that the guardians engage their wards in non-teaching work and so students prefer to stay at home.

Guardians Ramesh Yadav and Shanti Devi said that students were not going to school due to agriculture work. They also said that the school has only teacher that hampers teaching work. They said the student will not go to school till number of teachers is increased. Block Education Officer, Md. Shoib Ansari, expressed concern over pitiable condition of the school and said that he will very soon depute a teacher to the school and teaching will improve after that.