Teachers fund government’s midday meal scheme in Kerala

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Teachers in government schools and government-aided schools in Kerala additionally fund the Midday Meal Scheme even though the government had increased the fund amount for each student from Rs 5 to Rs 8.

Under the scheme, the government funds each school to provide a nutritious mid-day meal for their students. According to the teachers, the two-Rupee hike isn’t sufficient to provide children with a nutritious diet that also includes milk and eggs.

Larger schools manage to apply the scheme with the support of Parent-Teacher Association funds or alumni funds, but the smaller ones struggle.

According to Manoramaonline, teachers believe that it would be very difficult to continue the scheme if funds aren’t increased to at least Rs 10 per child. They feel that it would be impossible to manage the programme with such meagre amounts especially when an egg itself costs Rs 4 or Rs 5.

“Principals of small schools have to spend a lot of money from their own pocket to feed the children. I spend Rs 3,000 to 3,500 in many months. But I have no regrets as it is for the children,” a principal told the Press Trust of India (PTI) on condition of anonymity.

The principal also added that she cannot compromise in the case of meals as the students from the century-old school, established during the regime of Travancore royals, belong to poor families or destitute homes. “Things will become worse during months when prices of essential commodities soar. We depend on humble contributions by alumni who visit the school on many occasions,” she said.

Shaji M Mathew, president of Kerala Private Primary Headmasters’ Association, told NDTV, “We must be absolved of these responsibilities. As headmasters, we have to teach and look after a lot of things in the school. We should not be worried about how to generate money to feed the children under a government scheme.”

He added, “An external agency like Kudumbashree, should be made responsible. And till that time, we must at least be given the required funds to feed these children.”

Government officials feel otherwise. “There is no end to money required, but I think with this much, schools should be able to manage. We are even encouraging some schools to cultivate their own vegetables,” M S Jaya, director of Public Instruction, told NDTV.

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