Food programme
The
Himalayan Times
9 November
2017
Food
programme
The
government has been spending billion of rupees for the education reform
programme for the last one decade. These funds come from different donor
organizations who are whole heartedly supporting the government’s School Sector
Reform Programme (SSRP). However, the quality of education, especially in the
public schools, is still questionable. There are a number of reasons for this shortcoming
including the late arrival of text books in the rural areas of remote
districts, politicization of teaching professions, lack of proper supervision
and monitoring of teaching-learning environment from the concerned authorities.
Among
them is the “Food Programme for Education” launched in the rural area’s
schools. The main purpose of this programme is to increase the access of
education, boost the enrolment rate and minimise the drop-out rate. Normally,
the food, which is simply nutritional supplement, needs to be cooked which
require firewood for which the guardians are supposed to provide to the school.
However, this programme has not been very effective in some of the rural areas
of remote districts due to less interaction of the concerned officials with the
guardians. Unless the schools are supplied with fire-wood, nutritional
supplement cannot be prepared.
Rai Biren Bangdel
Maharajgunj
