TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar Tuesday said that the midday meal scheme would be revamped and from the next academic year the Akshaya patra system would be followed in the state.
The Akshaya Patra Foundation runs mid day meal programs across the country and is reported to distribute meals to 1.3 million underprivileged children in 9,000 government schools through 20 locations in nine states across India.
The announcement to revamp the mid day meal scheme only from next year has raised queries on implementation of the present scheme which is not welcomed by parents and children from various quarters of the State. However officials in the education department said that until the new revamped scheme comes into effect the existing scheme will be continued, since monitoring the same has been stepped up.
“The menu will also remain the same for the moment,” Director of Education Anil Powar said while replying to queries recently.
The SHG have however removed sheera from the existing menu and in many cases even pulao, as these items are being wasted by students.
Many complained that the food was cold, tasteless and unappetizing.
The government is hoping that the introduction of Akshaya patra meals which will be served hot will go down well with the students and if possible would even be extended to students of higher classes.
Unconfirmed reports suggested that the government may even transfer the midday meal scheme to the Goa Education Development Corporation. There are possibilities that the GEDC may be entrusted the task of implementing the MDMS after it is revamped.
School timing: “By a policy decision we will have 5.5 hours of schooling,” Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar said Tuesday, but added “We have said that those who have a problem can approach us.”
Speaking to Herald, Parrikar said that all over the country, four states have 6.5 hours school; 22 have 6 hours school, while Goa was the last with 5 hours school; even below the three states that have 5 hrs 20 minutes schooling.
Saying that they had arrived at this decision after consultations with all the chief minister Parrikar expressed his resolve to continue with the same duration of schooling.
