Patna, Dec 14 (IANS): Bihar Additional Chief Secretary of the Education Department on Saturday initiated an inquiry against a school principal in the Mushari area of Madhubani district after it was found that he (principal) had gone to buy vegetables during school hours.

The Chief Secretary monitors at least 10 schools per day via video conference and during his call to a school on Saturday, he ordered the inquiry against the principal.

He also called the ‘Tola Sevak’ (a village volunteer in Bihar who works to improve the education and social welfare of children and women) and asked him to show the status of the school on the video call. He was shocked to hear the principal was absent, having left the school to buy vegetables during school hours.

The school had only two functional classes. Students were found studying while sitting on sacks as benches and desks had not been provided by the district education department.

The Tola Sevak informed him that six teachers were assigned to the school, yet only one was present during the inspection.

Other teachers were reportedly attending to biometric document verification duties at the district office.

The Chief Secretary also raised concerns about student attendance. Upon checking the two functional classes, he found that only 13 children were present in one class and 22 in the other, while the school had an official enrollment of 137 students.