A screenshot of a newspaper clipping is being widely shared on social media in which it has been claimed that Bihar Government’s Education Department has asked teachers to monitor all those defecating in open areas.
The image is being shared on Facebook with a caption in Hindi that can be roughly translated in English to, “Now it will be the responsibility of the teachers…who will monitor those who defecate in the open.”
(Original Text: अब होगा शिक्षकों की जिम्मेदारी…जो खुले में शौच करने वालों की निगरानी)
Here’s the link to the above post.
FACT CHECK
NewsMobile fact-checked the above claim and found it to be MISLEADING.
Starting with our investigation, we performed a keyword search but could not find any recent media report corroborating the viral claim. All articles dated back to 2017.
We found a news report published on Amar Ujala website dated November 21, 2017, which talked about the same order as claimed in the viral image. The report stated, “If you want to know the responsibilities of teachers apart from teaching, then the education officers of Bihar government can help you. According to the new circular of the Education Department, now government teachers have to monitor the lota (small brass or copper container). Government teachers will now take over the responsibility of monitoring and preventing open defecation. This is a brand new decree of Nitish government for school teachers.”
We also found a tweet by ANI dated November 21, 2017, stating, “#Bihar: Block Education Officer orders High School teachers to keep an eye on open defecation at 5 am & 4 pm, click a selfie with defaulters. Principals appointed as supervisor.”
#Bihar: Block Education Officer orders High School teachers to keep an eye on open defecation at 5 am & 4 pm, click selfie with defaulters. Principals appointed as supervisor.
— ANI (@ANI) November 21, 2017
Another news report published by Jagran on November 22, 2017, stated, “Bihar: Strange decision of Education Department, Guruji will guard ‘Lota’ in the morning and evening.”
Further, we also found a news report published by IndiaTV on November 23, 2017, which stated, “In a letter to CM Nitish Kumar, Bihar Secondary School Teachers Association’s general secretary Shatrughan Prasad Singh said it is ‘disrespectful and exploitative.”
Thus, it is evident from the above information that an old newspaper clipping of Bihar Government’s order on open defecation is being falsely shared as recent. Therefore, the viral claim is misleading.
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