RESUBELPARA, Nov 29: At least four schools from the village of Adokgre, which was recently made a C&RD Block under North Garo Hills (NGH), have complained of receiving lesser amounts for distribution of mid-day meals compared to the enrolment they submitted to the Education department.
Upon being informed, the Sub Divisional School Education Officer (SDSEO) of North Garo Hills, SN Marak, has promised an inquiry into the matter next week and to ensure that the grievances are taken care of.
Meanwhile, sources from the area added that the situation may be all pervading in the former Kharkutta C&RD Block as more schools came forward to complain of receiving lesser amounts than they were supposed to.
According to the teachers, the situation seems to persist only in the erstwhile Kharkutta Block though the same could not be independently verified.
A visit to the village discerned the fact that in the Gorok Government LP School, out of 78 students, only 31 were being provided midday meals. In the Sakware Government LP School, meals for only 38 students were being provided despite the school submitting an enrolment of 75 to the department.
In Adokgre Model UP and RMSA School, despite 236 students being enrolled, only 201 were getting their meals. The number was even lesser last year despite the school having a similar enrolment.
Sources in the school claimed that only 136 students received their meals last year. In Ildek Reserve SSA UP School, the situation was similar with only 104 meals to cater to 139 students. “We have informed the Education department several times over the enrolment issue though they have never paid heed to our complaints. We have, on an annual basis, provided the numbers enrolled but it always seems to get mixed up. The department needs to pay a visit to these schools to understand the situation we are faced with,” said one of the teachers from Adokgre UP RMSA School.
The problem, said the teachers, was the fact that despite not getting enough resources, the schools had to compensate the deficit by shelling out money from their accounts so that the children in the school could get their meals. Further, they also complained that supply was irregular as they were getting goods once in 5-6 months.
“We have had to adjust the entire meal scene through our own money before it is given to us over long periods. With salaries being irregular, this is causing us a lot of consternation. It sometimes comes down to begging, borrowing or stealing to ensure the children are fed in schools,” a teacher from Gorok said.
The teachers felt that somehow the whole situation does not add up as their appeals to the authorities were not wielding any results, something that the SDSEO downplayed.
“I was not aware of this and this could be the fault of the schools that are complaining. The office has been very tight on the issue of midday meals and I have been very strict. We have been hauling up schools to ensure midday meals are served. I will definitely look into the matter and if there are differences, we will rectify them,” the SDSEO informed.
She added that the problem could be the addition of pre-primary students into the mid-day meal scheme.
“We are aware that teachers are adjusting the meals to ensure every child is fed. We will work on the discrepancies next week after a visit to these schools and places. Another thing is that supply is provided to these schools when the government gives the order, sometimes it is 3 months and sometimes it is a little more. However, this is adjusted with the teachers and students,” she added.
One of the teachers, when spoken to, claimed that this is prevalent in almost all government schools in Kharkutta as their colleagues have spoken of getting lesser than the number of students enrolled.
