Nishant Saxena
With the school summer vacation coming to an end, the Uttar Pradesh government is gearing up to conduct a special inspection campaign from July 5 to 31 to ensure effective functioning of schools across the state.
The primary focus of the campaign is to evaluate the management of mid-day meal distribution, infrastructure, supportive supervision, implementation of academic programs, and other essential facilities in council schools, madrasas, and aided schools.
According to Education department officials, this initiative aims to ensure that schools provide clean drinking water, mid-day meals, and proper toilets for students. It will also assess the punctuality of teachers, distribution of textbooks, and accurate record-keeping of student numbers.
Under the directives of Director General of School Education Vijay Kiran Anand, district school inspectors and district basic education officers are tasked with conducting thorough and systematic inspections. They are required to report on the progress of the campaign to the State Project Office and the Mid-Day Meal Authority office on July 15 and July 31.
Recent reports indicate that a substantial number of schools have already been inspected, with a total of 165,065 schools examined in April. Additional inspections were carried out in 122,137 schools until May 19, demonstrating satisfactory conditions overall.
During the upcoming inspections, special attention will be given to essential factors such as the availability of clean drinking water, functional toilets for boys and girls, adherence to quality standards outlined under the Kayakalp initiative, and proper distribution of mid-day meals. The number of students registered in the Mid-Day Meal (MDM) system, as well as the presence of teachers, Shiksha Mitras, and instructors, will also be carefully assessed.
The inspection process will encompass various aspects, including the evaluation of teacher attendance, student enrollment, textbook distribution, and communication between teachers and educational support programs. Additionally, the inspectors will assess the schools’ potential to achieve the status of a ‘Nipun’ school, reflecting excellence in education.
To ensure a comprehensive inspection, the government has issued clear guidelines. Within two days, District Education Officers and District Basic Education Officers are required to prepare a work plan for inspecting all council schools and madrasas. A detailed allocation of schools should be included in the plan.
For aided schools falling under the Basic Education Department’s jurisdiction, a thorough review of the mid-day meal scheme will be conducted under the leadership of the District Basic Education Officer.
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