The Quint

On 15 August, while India celebrated Independence Day, Sheikh Mohammad Mafik died in West Bengal’s Bankura after allegedly being assaulted while trying to protect his son, Abdul Hafiz. Hafiz had been documenting the poor condition of a government school as part of the Cockroach Janta Party’s ‘School Theek Karo’ campaign. But Mafik’s death raises a larger question: what happens to those who expose the failures of India’s education system? From journalist Pawan Jaiswal’s reporting on children being served roti and salt in a UP government school to collapsing school buildings, contaminated mid-day meals, teacher shortages and school closures, this episode looks at the state of government schooling in India. In the first episode of The Quint’s new series Baaghi Reporter, we examine the numbers, the human cost and the politics behind India’s education crisis. From exposing misinformation to delivering impactful human rights reporting, our newsroom has relentlessly pursued stories that drive change. We remain committed to asking the tough questions — and we'd love for you to be a part of our journey. Become The Quint’s member and make your support count: https://bit.ly/4j8x6uy For more videos, subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/4gIyCln --------------------------------------------------------------- Visit our website for more stories: https://www.thequint.com Check out our Special Projects: https://www.thequint.com/special-projects Subscribe to The Quint’s exclusive newsletters: https://thequint.substack.com/ --------------------------------------------------------------- Follow elsewhere: » Join us on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va5ysvjAe5VqBKRhgv2G » Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thequint/ » LinkedIn: https://in.linkedin.com/company/thequint » Twitter: https://x.com/TheQuint » Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/quintillion/ --------------------------------------------------------------- Video: The Quint