Probe ordered after schoolchildren in UP lock up teachers for non-payment of mid-day meal allowances

Ballia (Uttar Pradesh), Jan 22 In a government school in Uttar Pradesh's Ballia district, a probe has been ordered into the incident where school children locked up all teachers, including the headmaster, in a room of the school, to protest against the non-payment of mid-day meal allowances of Covid-19 period,

Bairia block education officer Pankaj Mishra said the matter, which came to his notice through media, would be investigated.

"The pending allowances will be sent to all the children immediately, if the allegation is proved true," he added.

According to reports, students of Composite School at Durjanpur village in Bairia area locked up teachers at the government school.

The Uttar Pradesh Basic Education Department had decided to give foodgrains and mid-day meal allowance to primary school students during the Covid-19 lockdown period. The arrangement was made for nutritional benefits of students, who were unable to get mid-day meals at schools due to lockdown.

The money was to be sent to the parents of the students.

The students said none of them received the allowances for the lockdown owing to Covid-19.

"Despite repeated complaints before the headmaster, no step has been taken till now in this regard. This was the reason that forced the students to take the extreme step," they added.

School headmaster 'in-charge', Jaiprakash Yadav, said mid-day meal allowances of the fourth phase were not given to the children.