Students of a state-owned school in a rebel-hit block of West Singhbhum district of Jharkhand have been deprived of mid-day meal for over three months.

The mid-day meal also known as PM-POSHAN (Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman) is covered by the National Food Security Act 2013 making it legal entitlement while the federal government is committed to yielding “adequate nutritious food” for children under Article 24, paragraph 2C of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, to which India is a party.

The matter about students not getting mid-day meals surfaced during a surprise inspection by the Sonua block pramukh (head) Nandini Soy at the Utkramit Madhya Vidyalaya (Upgraded Middle School) in Nachalda panchayat of West Singhbhum district, over 200 km from state’s capital Ranchi on Wednesday.

“I had been receiving complaints from a few parents and decided to carry out a surprise inspection of the school on Wednesday during school hours (around 11 am). I was surprised to find the school classes locked and the students playing football in the field. It was time for the mid-day meals and on asking the students I was shocked when students alleged that they have not been getting mid-day meals for over three months,” alleged Soy.

She further alleged that the students claimed that they hardly study as the classes are closed or not held.

“The students claimed that they simply come to school, play in the field and then leave for their home in their respective villages when they feel hungry. They hardly study as the teachers do not come to school and most of the time the rooms are closed,” said Soy.

The Sonua block pramukh said that none of the students were able to say the class in which they studied.

“When I was roaming around on the school campus I saw a youth of the village who entered the premises and started opening the classrooms. When I asked the youth about his identity and how he possessed the school keys, he answered that one of the school teachers, Pervez Ashraf, had asked him to take care of the school. The teacher even pays him every month. I could not find attendance registers as they are kept by the teachers. A villager claimed that teachers come sometimes and complete official works and then leave but never teach children,” said Soy.

She further said that on interacting with villagers they told that school officials say that rice has not arrived in the school and so they are not able to provide cooked mid-day meals. “I have submitted my report to the block development officer (BDO), Sonua Nandjee Ram and demanded strict action against the teacher of the school. I will also be sending copies of my report to the West Singhbhum Deputy Commissioner, Ananya Mittal,” Soy said.

Regional deputy director of education (RDDE) Kolhan Neerja Kujur when informed about the situation said that mid-day meals are mandatory for every government schools and there is no crisis in supply of rice.

“I will probe into the issue. There is no crisis of rice and mid-day meals is mandated at every government schools,” said Kujur.

Director Jharkhand Education Project Council, Kiran Pasi, expressed shock at the incident, “It is shocking. I will initiate a high-level inquiry into this,” said Pasi.