Bihar School Principals to Now Have Mid-day Meals with Kids to Ensure Food Quality

The State Education Department of Bihar has directed the heads or principals of all government and government-aided primary schools to sit with the pupils and have mid-day meals with them. This measure has been taken to guarantee that children are fed nutritious food.

According to a leading news agency, Sanjay Kumar, Additional Chief Secretary of the state education department said that since the practice of giving mid-day meals in schools was reinstated on February 28, necessary arrangements have been made to ensure constant monitoring of the meals supplied to the students. He indicated that the chairman, secretary, and other members of the school education committee, along with the guardians of children, would sit with their children and eat meals with them in rotation.

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In addition, if the District Officer or an officer authorised on his behalf visits the school to inspect the mid-day meal, he sits with the children and shares food with them. This will undoubtedly boost kids’ and parents’ confidence in the quality of food served in schools.

The education department had previously asked school administrators to taste the meal at least half an hour before it is served to pupils. Furthermore, the requirement of regular monitoring of mid-day meals was emphasised at a meeting of the officials involved with the chief secretary.

For those who don’t know, the mid-day meal scheme is funded by the central government and provides hot prepared food to all students in Classes 1 through 8 on all working days.

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Meanwhile, the Karnataka government has introduced eggs in the mid-day meals of school children last year in December. The step was taken to tackle malnutrition and anaemia among children. The move was, however, opposed by some religious groups and communities who claimed that it could hurt religious sentiments of vegetarians. Despite the opposition, the state government is now aiming to expand its initiative in seven more districts of North Karnataka where children were found to be malnourished and anaemic as per the National Family Health Survey.

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