Patna: The education department has decided to engage government schoolteachers and students to ensure cleanliness through the Lohiya Swachh Bihar Abhiyan, a state government initiative, from Tuesday.

The Patna district education office has issued a letter to all government schools seeking the participation of students, teachers and parents in the weeklong drive.

School administrations have been asked to inform the students about the importance of cleanliness on Monday, according to the directive. On Tuesday, they would have to conduct a painting competition and a "swachhata" meeting on Wednesday with the students and their parents.

On Thursday again, the government schools would have to organise an essay-writing competition on "Importance of toilets in the house" and an elocution competition on Friday. The schools have been directed to take out a prabhat pheri (morning procession) in their areas on Saturday to highlight the importance of keeping the city clean. Similar activities will run on Monday too. Sources said the education department drive will be assisted by nearly 600 swachhata volunteers.

Abhishek Kumar, a teacher at Bapu Smarak Mahila Uccha Vidyalaya, Rajendra Nagar, said: "The school has received a letter from the district education office. We don't think there would be any difficulty in this campaign."

The government's earlier directive to teachers to dissuade people from defecating in the open and click pictures if people still did had created a controversy. The teachers had to face resistance from the people who claimed the faculty members were interfering in their personal lives.