The headmaster of a primary school in Nawazkheda village, under Mohanlalganj tehsil of Lucknow, Ravindra Gupta, has been suspended after books meant for students were allegedly sold to a scrap dealer. Basic education officer (BSA) Vipin Kumar confirmed the serious lapse.
An official, who requested anonymity, said that while negligence during inspections was possible, the workbooks and textbooks were available on the school premises. “In such a situation, the books should have been distributed among children instead of being sold as scrap,” he said.
When contacted by Hindustan Times, Kumar said the letter of suspension “speaks for itself” and declined further comment on the matter.
The issue came to light on Tuesday after a video went viral on social media, prompting the basic education department to order an inquiry. On Wednesday morning, block education officer (BEO) Sushil Kanaujia visited the Nawazkheda primary school to investigate. During the inspection, he spoke in detail with local residents and later recorded the statement of the scrap dealer involved.
In the viral video, the scrap dealer can be seen exiting the school premises with sacks full of books. Some village children stopped him outside the school and opened one of the sacks, revealing textbooks meant for students of Classes 1 to 5. The video also showed a bike rider standing nearby, along with several sacks, estimated to be around six, loaded on a cart. The total weight of the books and other materials was estimated at around two quintals. A local youth recorded the video and shared it on social media, leading to widespread outrage.
{{/usCountry}}In the viral video, the scrap dealer can be seen exiting the school premises with sacks full of books. Some village children stopped him outside the school and opened one of the sacks, revealing textbooks meant for students of Classes 1 to 5. The video also showed a bike rider standing nearby, along with several sacks, estimated to be around six, loaded on a cart. The total weight of the books and other materials was estimated at around two quintals. A local youth recorded the video and shared it on social media, leading to widespread outrage.
{{/usCountry}}The incident comes at an ironic time, as approximately 20 percent of students in Lucknow’s urban and rural primary schools still do not have complete sets of textbooks. Teachers had sent demands for books to the BEOs in July and August, but supplies have not yet reached many schools.