Mid-day Meal showed malnourished children the way to school

The truth about the mid-day meal scheme is that it has given a boost to primary education. The poor and malnourished children of the country have been shown the way to school. The number of students in schools has increased. They are being encouraged to come to school. Leaving school has not been stopped, but this scheme is proving effective in reducing it.
Education is the foundation from which the building of India begins. This is why the 1990 World Conference for All Compulsory education was announced and on August 15, 1995, the government started the mid-day meal scheme in schools. From ‘Chalo School Chalein’ to ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ concepts have been made in this direction. But the question remains whether the best system of primary education in India has been achieved over the years. At the moment this question is floating on the floor with incomplete answers. The goal of making primary education free and compulsory for all children is not new, its journey is more or less as old as independence. It is. Despite this, the picture about school education does not appear to be emerging very well. Yes, it is another matter that it has increased progressively in the midst of the ongoing effort, but the two years of Covid-19 have hurt the entire schooling.
Significantly, on March 14, 2020, the mid-day meal scheme was put on hold. It was more fatal for children who were attached to education and school for food. Although the mid-day meal scheme is now on its way once again, but the children who have been connected to education through food since years ago. The work was done, how many of them have been returned, it is a matter of investigation. At present, due to this scheme, about twelve crore children in the age group of six to fourteen years and from class one to eight are covered. It is noteworthy that the government provides lunch to the students of classes one to eight in recognized schools including government, non-government and non-government schools. In 2021, its name was changed to PM Nutrition Scheme. There is better development of children and more and more children can come to school, for this purpose, Mid-Day Meal plan was started.
By the way, during the days of colonial rule, such a program was first started in the Madras Municipal Corporation in 1925 for the underprivileged children. There is no doubt that this scheme has been successful in bringing the children to school, but the reality is that the success has not been as much as the figures are counted. It is the responsibility of the government to bridge this gap between figures and reality. It is worth mentioning that no matter how powerful and effective a plan is, its execution is seldom possible. Mid day meal the plan is no different. The report of ‘Unified District Information System for Education’ shows that the number of government schools in the country has decreased, while the number of private schools has increased.
According to the report, more than fifty thousand government schools were closed in the country in 2018-19. Despite the mid-day meal scheme, the process of dropping out among the children has not stopped. It is clear from the latest UNESCO report that the number of children dropping out due to the corona epidemic has increased rapidly. Mid-Day Meal Scheme 1997-98A was implemented in all the states of the country. Madrasas were also included in it in 2002. In 2014-15, this scheme was running in eleven and a half lakh primary and upper primary schools.
The figures then show that ten crore children were getting benefitted. According to the data released by the Planning Commission in 2011, the number of schools in India was 15 lakhs. Looking at the progressive development of education, it can be understood that after a decade this figure would have been even higher. In a country where every fourth person is below the poverty line and this figure is the cause of illiteracy.
However, the cost of such plans becomes much higher. It cannot be denied that education very rarely thrives in poverty and financial constraints. It is also a matter of reference that 100 grams of cereals, pulses and vegetables are being given daily to all the children of classes I to V and 150 grams of the same food items are being given to the children of classes VI to VIII. The aim is to provide children with micronutrients such as iron and folic acid in addition to calories and protein. It should be noted that midday not only a meal scheme is not a scheme, but it is a legal right of the children of primary and upper primary classes as per the National Food Security Act 2013.
The All India Elementary Education Commission was constituted by the government in 1957 to promote and upgrade primary education. In this sequence, in 1965, the National Education Commission presented its report, which emphasized on maintaining equal educational opportunities for students of every religion, caste and gender without any discrimination. Due to this commission, the National Education Policy 1968came to light Here also concrete measures were seen to make education free and compulsory. A new concept emerged in the academic environment from the National Policy on Education 1986, while the Operation Black Board of 1985 was full of basic facilities. In the current era, there are immense expectations attached to the New Education Policy 2020.
The human mind can be made useful only by education. The present age is of information and the collection and presentation of these information is the proof of intelligence in today’s world. Thus, on the education of the young No compromise can be made and no such understanding can be reached which will hurt their right to education in the slightest. The Ministry of Human Resource Development constituted a committee to ensure that there is no scam and negligence regarding the mid-day meal scheme. This committee monitors the scheme at the national level. Through this, it is ensured that the right kind of food is given to the children in every school of the country.
Despite this, there are so many flaws in it that complaints keep piling up. Children also sick due to mid-day meal scheme And their death figures have also been seen from time to time. While children get the benefits of this scheme, its misuse continues by many. This scheme is almost three decades old, yet India has failed to improve its level in the index of hunger. Despite all this, the truth about the mid-day meal scheme is that it has given a boost to primary education. The poor and malnourished children of the country have been shown the way to school.
The number of students in schools has increased. They are being encouraged to come to school, Leaving school has not been stopped, but this scheme is proving effective in reducing it. Overall, it would be fair to say that the Mid-Day Meal Scheme is the hope of crores of young people of the country, where along with education, the stomach is also concerned and is improving their nutrition and increasing the level of learning.