Overview
- Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains conducted a surprise inspection at Government Primary Smart School No. 4 in Machhiwara, testing Classes 3 and 5 and finding many students unable to read basic Punjabi or solve simple arithmetic.
- The Punjab government suspended the Machhiwara Block Primary Education Officer with immediate effect following the visit.
- The Education Department issued show-cause notices to six teachers, who have been asked to reply within a week or face suspension, according to the latest reports and an official statement.
- Bains flagged a gap between official records and classroom performance, citing marksheets that gave students reading scores despite visible struggle, and he announced an inquiry into potential record manipulation.
- The minister noted poor classroom conditions and directed immediate fixes, and he pledged continued surprise inspections and stricter monitoring under the state’s learning-improvement drive.