The fund for the mid-day meal has increased and now along with the meal, all Government schoolchildren in Jharkhand will also get nutritious breakfast. Earlier, the fund allotted for primary level was `3.69 and now, it has been raised to `3.89 per meal per day. likewise, for middle level, earlier `5.54 was allotted and presently, `5.78 is being dispersed for the purpose.
The School Education and literacy department has issued a notification on January 25 to all the District Education Officers (DEOs) on the specific matter. Considering the school timing, which has been changed and seeking the budget too the decision is taken by the concerned department.
In a letter, Secretary, School Education and literacy Department, Aradhana Patnaik has said that the new scheme will compulsorily have to be implemented by all government schools in the state with immediate effect.
“As now the school timing too has been rescheduled from 10 am to 8 am, there is a need to introduce a breakfast in the exiting mid-day meal schedule. No additional budget will be given for the purpose, as 7.5 percent increment in the budget has already been sanctioned to bear the additional cost,” informed, School Education and literacy department, Aradhana Patnaik.
Giving details about the menu, Patnaik further added, “During the inspection, we received feedback from various students and teachers and accordingly the menu has been prepared. Teachers of few government schools in Pakur and Khunti have started the concept of distributing sprouts and fruits in class itself, which was an inspiring concept for us and finally with the consent, now it will be implemented in other districts too.”
Menu too has been designed seeking the tastes and preferences of the school children. Sprouts, biscuits, boiled eggs, fruits which include banana, apple and oranges including Khichdi will be served to the students in the breakfast.
District Education officers (DEOs) after receiving the notification has conducted a meeting and have provided to all the concerned officials with the guideline. “It has been started with immediate effect after receiving the notification from the Secretary. As the school timing has changed, the breakfast will be served at 10:30 am and mid-day meal will be given to all candidates at 1:30 pm to children regularly,” said DSE Hazaribagh, Shivendra Kumar.
Similarly, in Pakur the concept of breakfast was started few years back and has gained popularity among the students.
“We started it few years back with the motto that the breakfast will help in improving the nutrition intake among the kids. The mid-day meal was a big success in increasing enrollment of children in government schools and now serving breakfast will enhance it further,” added DEO Pakur, B Saini.