The mid-day meal scheme in the state’s aided schools is likely to go haywire with the government’s decision to reduce the allotment to just rice and a meagre sum per student for the pulses and vegetables.
The funds alotted is not sufficient to cater to the needs of about 25 lakh students in the government aided schools across the state.“So far we had sufficient stock of green gram and managed to serve a square meal. However, we find it challenging to serve nutritious food at Rs 4 per head in those schools having a total enrolment below 100 and Rs 5 in those schools having an enrolment of above 100. Given the meager funds, we are at loss as to how to provide egg and milk once a week as well as the mid-day meals that have vegetables, curry and pulses,” said Jean Sebastian, headmaster of St Sebastian UP School, Ernakulam.
As the students find the daily intake of rice gruel and green gram dish insipid, the government had decided to give rice, sambhar and other curry dishes since last year.
Many AEOs and DEOs in the state had expressed difficulty in providing curry, egg and milk for the said amount. Only a few schools have shown a positive response.
“Given the skyrocketing prices, it is impossible to provide nutritious food for students with the said amount,” said the school authorities. The parent-teacher association also echoed the same views.Funds from the PTA, sponsors and MLAs are also being utilised in some schools to offer a square meal.
“There are schools which manage to provide meals with the said amount and those who find it difficult to do so. We have brought this to the notice during the meeting held with the General Education Department and the officials have offered to look into it,” said J Sasi, president, Government School Teachers’ Union.
The Department of Public Instruction has decided to revise the scheme. “From the feedback obtained from the head-teachers and the PTA, we have decided to revise the amount. A government order to this effect will be issued within two days,” said A Shajahan, director, Department of Public Instruction.
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