PANJIM: The Goa State Commission for Protection of Child Rights on Thursday directed the Directorate of Education (DoE) to come out with an “early solution” to the mid-day meal crisis.
The commission has initiated inquiry into the mid-day meal issue after taking suo motu cognisance of media reports on the issue.
The direction comes after the self help groups (SHGs) on Wednesday threatened to stop the supply of cooked food to close to 1.60 lakh students from November, if government fails to clear their pending dues and increase the fund allocation.
“This is worrisome and the government should make every effort to prevent this. Commission recommends an early solution to the issue and seeks compliance report within fifteen days of receipt of this letter,” Chairperson Peter Borges said in a letter to the Education Director while also recommending a long term policy intervention in the matter.
“The mid-day meal scheme has a great transformative potential and should not be perceived as charity, but a right of the children and a civic responsibility,” it said.
The Commission said the qualification of the scheme affects a large number of students. “First, the children’s Right to Food will be violated, a right which forms an integral part of right to life. Second, the children’s Right to Education as enshrined in article 21-A of the Constitution will be indirectly violated,” it said.
The Commission said the provision of a meal is a key reason that many children attend/are able to attend school and if the food is taken away, their attendance is likely fall and their learning will suffer.
“The facility of mid-day meal in the schools has attracted the young children and their parents towards schools to continue their studies. The scheme has also helped children from the poor background to get education and save themselves from the malnutrition,” it said.
The Commission stressed on the need for a long term policy intervention considering the fact that despite stabilising of the procedure in last two decades, since the scheme was introduced, the hurdles continue to occur.
“Mid-day meals play an important facilitating role in the universalisation of elementary education by enhancing enrolment, attendance and retention, contributing also to better educational achievements by improving the nutritional status of children,” it said.
