At least 15 teachers were found coming to classes drunk on a regular basis at various government schools in a Madhya Pradesh district, reveals a review report, exposing the rot in the education system in the state.
The damning detail has been disclosed in a letter issued by the Block Education Officer (BEO) from Mehadwani in tribal-dominated Dindori district, some 460 km from capital Bhopal.
The letter, issued by BEO HS Masram, outlines that 15 teachers across various government schools in the Mehadwani development block are frequently attending school under the influence of alcohol.
"He (teacher) comes sometimes. He is always drunk. Sometimes we read and then he goes away," said a Class 8 student.
One of the drunk teachers, Santosh Kumar Ahirwar, is seen below.
"He (teacher) stays for an hour or two and then leaves. He repeats this everyday," said another student form the same school.
Additionally, it has been reported that nine teachers have not been attending school for several years, and seven teachers are in violation of civil service rules due to having two wives.
"He comes drunk to school every day. His name is Santosh Kumar Ahirwar. He teaches Maths. We tried stopping him from leaving, but he got away. It is his daily routine. He also comes in late and leaves early. This affects children's studies," said a teacher at the school.
Mr Masram has recommended strict action against these teachers.
Dr Santosh Shukla, the Assistant Commissioner of the Tribal Department in Dindori, appreciated Mr Masram's initiative during a conversation with NDTV and assured that appropriate action would be taken against the accused teachers.
To improve the education system in the district's government schools, similar investigations would be conducted in all development blocks, said Dr Shukla, adding that strict measures would be taken against any teacher found violating professional conduct.
Various government initiatives - School Chalen Hum, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, CM Rise and Eklavya Adarsh Residential Schools - aim to improve education in Dindori district.
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