Frequent stirs over uniform, scholarship hit studies in schools

Ara: Frequent agitations by students have adversely affected the academic ambience in government schools in Bhojpur district. The situation has come to such a pass that many people regret sending their wards to government schools and plan to shift them to private schools.
Scholarship and free uniform are given to students with certain percentage of attendance while midday meal is given to students present on the day.Several students, including Amit, Anuradha Yadav, Arjun Kumar, Khushbu Kumari, Nishu, Priyanka, Suman Kumari and Jannat Afrin said the scholarship and uniform amounts are not given on time, forcing them to resort to agitation. Students said they come to school to study but teachers seldom come on time. They also alleged midday meal was either not being given to them or was being given of poor quality.
Bhojpur district education officer K M Das said Rs 23.63 crore was last allotted to the district for scholarships and uniforms and the amount was disbursed to the district’s 2004 primary and middle schools as per their strength. He said locals instigate students to resort to agitation even though they do not fulfill the attendance criterion.
District programme officer (midday meal) Sultan Ahmad said the scheme was not running in at least 200 out of 2004 schools in the district due to non-allotment of foodgrains. While the scheme is on in 1,700 schools, 104 schools have not been listed for it.
Headmaster of three schools said due to non- allotment of funds on time or administrative procedures, scholarship and uniform amounts were not distributed. Adarsh Madhya Vidyalaya-Ara’s officiating headmaster Shashidhar Pandey said the tussle for the post of headmaster among schoolteachers is one of the reasons for the delay. Gurunanak Abhyasarth Middle School-Ara’s officiating headmistress Savita Singh said funds were allotted but only students with 75% attendance and OBC students who submitted income certificates have been given scholarship and uniform amounts.