Recently, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education recommended that all government schools commence providing free breakfast in the forthcoming academic year. This recommendation is part of a broader expansion to the midday meal scheme set out by the National Education Policy.
The National Education Policy delineates “providing food and nutrition” as one of its primary long-term financial areas to nurture a strong education system. This article will explore the potential benefits, challenges, and overall implications of this proposed update to the midday meal scheme.
The Importance of Nutritious Breakfast for Students
Research indicates the value of a nutritious breakfast for cognitively demanding subjects studied during morning hours. Capitalizing on these findings, a simple yet invigorating breakfast could be provided in conjunction with midday meals to help enhance students’ academic performance.
Obstacles to Implementing the Free Breakfast Proposal
Despite its potential benefits, the execution of this free breakfast plan may face significant funding obstacles. Currently, the Centre spends about 11000 crore on the Midday meals scheme. The provision of free breakfast would require an additional budget of 4000 crore, but the School Education Department recently underwent a budget cut of nearly 5000 crore for the fiscal year 2020-21.
About the Midday Meal Scheme
Launched in 1995, the Ministry of Education’s Midday Meal Scheme is a centrally sponsored initiative aimed at universalizing primary education. The world’s largest school meal program provides cooked meals to every child aged six to fourteen years studying in classes I to VIII who enrols and attends the school.
The program’s purpose is multifaceted – addressing hunger and malnutrition, increasing school enrolment and attendance, improving caste socialisation, and providing grassroots employment, particularly for women.
Maintaining Quality and Food Security
To ensure quality, AGMARK quality items are procured, and meals are tasted by two or three adult members of the school management committee. If a Mid-Day Meal cannot be provided due to any reason, the State Government must pay a food security allowance by the 15th of the next month.
The State Steering-cum Monitoring Committee (SSMC) oversees the scheme’s implementation – including ensuring nutritional standards and maintaining food quality.
The Current State of Nutrition in India
Despite these significant efforts, several issues and challenges persist. Instances of corrupt practices have been reported, such as serving plain chapatis with salt and adulteration of milk.
Food-related caste biases and discrimination still exist in many schools. The Covid-19 pandemic has also significantly impacted food access and essential services, including midday meals.
Child malnutrition remains a significant issue. The National Family Health Survey reveals escalating child malnutrition levels across several states. India accounts for about 30% of the world’s stunted children and nearly 50% of severely wasted children under five.
According to the Global Nutrition Report 2020, India is among 88 countries that may miss 2025’s global nutrition targets. The Global Hunger Index 2020 ranks India at 94 out of 107 countries, indicating “serious” levels of hunger.
A Step Towards a Better Future
Undernourished or unwell children cannot learn effectively. Therefore, addressing children’s nutrition, health (including mental), should be a priority. Providing nutritional breakfast along with midday meals could be a significant step in improving student health.
This expansion would not only prevent hunger from keeping children away from school but would also likely enhance enrolment rates. Thus, despite the considerable challenges, adapting the midday meal scheme to include a nutritious breakfast could create a beneficial ripple effect on India’s education system.
Last Modified: February 11, 2024