Chhattisgarh: Teacher Suspended for Teaching Wrong English Spellings at Balrampur School (Watch)

A government school teacher in Balrampur, Chhattisgarh, has been suspended after a video showed him teaching students incorrect English spellings. The incident has raised concerns over poor monitoring, teacher accountability.

Raipur: In a disturbing revelation that has raised widespread concern over the quality of primary education in Chhattisgarh, a government school teacher in Balrampur district was found teaching students blatantly incorrect English spellings. The incident, recorded inside a classroom, has drawn strong criticism from parents and education activists. It has highlighted the urgent need for stricter monitoring and accountability within the state’s school system. Following an internal review, the teacher has been suspended, although the episode underscores deeper issues affecting rural education.

Video Shows Teacher Writing Grossly Incorrect Spellings

The incident took place at the government primary school in Kogwar village in the Wadrafnagar development block. In the video, the teacher is seen writing several wrongly spelt words on the blackboard while the children diligently copy them into their notebooks, unaware that they are learning incorrect English.

The teacher wrote “Sanday” instead of Sunday and “Wensday” instead of Wednesday while teaching the days of the week. The mistakes continued during a lesson on body parts where incorrect spellings such as “Noge” for Nose, “Eare” for Ear, and “Iey” for Eye appeared on the board. Even basic family words such as Mother, Father, Brother and Sister were spelt incorrectly, leaving young students with a series of inaccurate spellings.

Frequent Complaints Against Teachers Ignored by Authorities

The school has an enrolment of 42 students and employs two teachers appointed by the government. According to villagers and children, one of the teachers, identified locally as Kamlesh Pando, often arrives at school in an intoxicated state and is said to sleep inside the classroom. The second teacher is the one seen in the video teaching incorrect spellings to the children.

Locals say they have repeatedly approached the Education Department and the local Panchayat with complaints but no action was taken. Students reportedly raised their concerns as well, yet authorities failed to respond. The incident has once again highlighted the persistent lack of oversight in government primary schools.

Monitoring Mechanisms Found Non-Functional

Despite the government spending a significant amount on teacher training programmes intended to improve English proficiency, the situation at the ground level remains unchanged. Cluster Academic Coordinators (CACs) who are appointed to supervise academic quality at the cluster level have come under scrutiny, as the Wadrafnagar incident suggests that the monitoring system is not functioning effectively.

Although the state continues to promote Smart Classrooms, digital learning tools and other educational initiatives, the reality is that many teachers in rural areas struggle with basic English spelling. This poses a serious risk to the foundational learning of students.

Teacher Suspended and Corrective Action Promised

After the video surfaced, the School Education Department carried out a review and found the teacher guilty of negligence. According to departmental sources, a suspension order was issued on Monday. Authorities have begun the process of posting a new teacher to the school.

Officials have stated that corrective steps will be taken to ensure that such incidents are not repeated. However, parents and villagers remain uncertain due to their long history of unaddressed complaints.