Students of Simuara Middle School in Bihar’s Gaya district staged a protest on Tuesday, demanding action over poor basic facilities at their school. Around 40-50 students from Classes 6 to 8 walked nearly 4 km to the Tikari Sub-Divisional Office to raise concerns about issues affecting their education and daily routine, reported Indian Express.
The protest gained attention after a video showing students sitting outside the Sub-Divisional Magistrate’s (SDM) office went viral on social media. The students refused to leave until their complaints were heard. They raised concerns about the quality of the mid-day meal, drinking water facilities, toilets, electricity supply, lack of classroom fans, uniforms, and the overall condition of the school.
Taking note of the protest, Tikari SDM Praveen Kundan formed a three-member inquiry committee to investigate the complaints. The committee, comprising officials from the district supply department, Nagar Panchayat, and block administration, inspected the school and was asked to submit a report. The headmaster was warned and directed to address the issues within four to five days.
A surprise inspection was later conducted by education officials, who instructed the school authorities to improve cleanliness, repair classrooms and toilets, ensure better mid-day meals, complete electrical work, install fans, follow the class timetable, and maintain lesson plans.
The Block Education Officer also issued show-cause notices to the headmaster and seven teachers, questioning how students were able to leave during school hours and protest outside the campus. The notices also mentioned complaints about teaching quality, poor mid-day meals, and lack of educational activities.
The officials have withheld the salaries of the headmaster and teachers for the day of the protest until satisfactory explanations are submitted. An inquiry into the mid-day meal complaints has also been ordered.
Earlier, in Uttar Pradesh’s Fatehpur district, students of a government-aided school staged a protest triggered by poor infrastructure and the absence of basic amenities. Their demands included uninterrupted electricity supply, installation of four fans in every classroom, repair of faulty electrical wiring, an RO water cooler to ensure access to clean drinking water, desks and benches for students, better implementation of the mid-day meal scheme, clean toilets and an overall improvement in school infrastructure.
The protest broke out at Sarvodaya Inter College in Kishanpur area of Fatehpur, where scores of students assembled on the campus and raised slogans against the school administration. Some students also alleged that those raising these issues had been threatened with being failed in examinations by the principal, a charge denied by the school administration.
