Hardoi's mid-day meal mess: Headmaster, teacher suspended, cooks questioned

Two teachers, including the headmaster of a primary school, were suspended on Tuesday after an inquiry confirmed complaints regarding the poor quality of the mid-day meal served to students, officials said.

The action was taken against headmaster Rajesh Kumar and assistant teacher Vinod Kumar of Primary School Kotra in Tadiyawan development block.

The matter came to light when a video showing the mid-day meal being served to students at the school went viral on social media. In response to the video, the Basic Education Department ordered an inquiry.

The inquiry found irregularities in the arrangements for providing the mid-day meal and confirmed complaints regarding the quality of food, officials said.

It also emerged during the inquiry that the video had been recorded by Vinod Kumar, who allegedly had a prior dispute with the headmaster.

However, the departmental inquiry confirmed that the allegations regarding the meal’s quality were valid, officials said.

Basic Shiksha Adhikari (BSA) Prabhat Mishra subsequently ordered the suspension of both teachers. Notices have also been issued to the cooks preparing meals at the school, seeking their responses.

The Block Education Officer (BEO) of Tadiyawan and the District Coordinator for the Mid-Day Meal programme have also been asked to provide explanations for alleged lapses in inspecting the school and monitoring the mid-day meal arrangements, officials said.