Phulbani: While there are strict instructions to not engage school-going children in any kind of work, such incidents keep coming to the fore at regular intervals. In absence of the cook, little students were seen preparing the mid day meal (MDM) on Saturday afternoon at Jhadbalsakumpa primary school under Khajuripada Block in Kandhamal district.
According to sources, the cook remained absent today due to some reason following which the students of Class IV & V were engaged to prepare the mid day meal.
If sources are to be believed a few students were preparing the lunch for about 40 students and the headmaster was fully aware of it. Some of the students were fetching water from far away while others were cooking rice.
Although the government has strict guidelines not to engage school students in any work like sweeping, watering trees, cooking, carrying firewood and rations rice, the headmaster allegedly engaged the little children in preparing the meal
On the other hand, locals have demanded that the Block Education Officer and the District Education Officer should investigate the incident and take strict action against those responsible.
When contacted to enquire about the incident, the Block Education Officer was unreachable.
