Patna: The Bihar education department has rolled out a series of measures aimed at improving academic performance and student safety in government schools, making advance lesson planning mandatory for teachers and tightening oversight of the mid-day meal scheme.
According to instructions issued by the District Education Office to headteachers, teachers will now be required to prepare a detailed lesson plan a day before entering the classroom. The initiative, titled “Lesson Plan”, mandates that educators note what they intend to teach and record a brief summary of the lesson delivered in a diary.
Officials said the move followed repeated observations that teachers often began classes without adequate preparation, leaving students — particularly in mathematics and science — without clear or accurate answers to their questions. “Advance preparation will help teachers structure their lessons better and track what has been taught on which date,” an official said.
The department has also issued fresh instructions to strengthen food safety under the mid-day meal scheme. Headteachers have been directed to taste the food themselves before it is served to children. In their absence, the responsibility will fall on the concerned teacher. Meals are to be served only after this check, with strict emphasis on cleanliness at cooking and serving areas.
School heads have been instructed to ensure regular cleaning of floors and walls where food is prepared, and to closely monitor hygiene standards. Details of student enrolment and the number of children availing the mid-day meal must be uploaded daily on the e-Shiksha Kosh portal.
Attendance monitoring has also been tightened. Teachers are required to mark attendance online with a photograph, a practice that officials said was being continuously reviewed at the district level. Random checks will be carried out, and action taken against those found absent without approved leave.
While headteachers have been told not to delay leave approvals unnecessarily, the department has capped the number of teachers on leave at any given time to 10% of staff strength, to ensure that teaching is not disrupted.
Officials said the combined measures were intended to strengthen accountability in schools while improving classroom learning and safeguarding students’ wellbeing.
