Students of Saraswoti Higher Secondary School at Pipara Bhalohiya padlocked the school for two days accusing the headteacher of embezzling the school’s fund and not being transparent about the school’s financial transactions in Rautahat. Acting Principal of the school Nabin Pandey has been accused of embezzling the fund provided for scholarship distribution at the school. Local Nagendra Mahato said Pandey has been involved in abusing the budget for the past 18 months, ever since he was appointed to the post. “Accounts at school are maintained by retired staff, and there is no transparency,” said the locals. “The authority has remained mum regarding the matter of transparency of accounts maintained by the school,” Mahato argued.

Bikash Mahato, a teacher, complained that he had not been paid salary for the past one-and-a-half year. “The students padlocked the school after the management failed to be transparent about financial transactions carried out by the school,” said Mahato. However, Acting Principal Pandey defended himself saying that Mahato had influenced the students to lock the school since he had not been paid for long. He further said that he had promised to pay Mahato’s remuneration within two to four days. He also pledged that he would make financial documents public on Tuesday. Rautahat DEO Upendra Singh said he would make a necessary inquiry about the school’s closure and would take necessary initiatives to settle the problem.