Senapati, June 01 2009: To regularize the mid-day meal in the Government schools, better school management and for successful implementation of the scheme unlike in the past years, Nidhi keswerwani, D.C Senapati gave surprise visit to some schools today to know the ground reality in the implementation of the scheme.

She was accompanied by district school authorities and media persons on her visit to Taphou Nepali, Taphou Naga, Katomai, Karong and Tungam village in Tadubi Block.

Some of the major findings during the visit are irregularity of fund flow for the scheme, inadequate of school text books, furniture, utensils and teaching staff.

The school staffs candidly told the visiting officials that they have not received any fund for the mid-day meal for the current year.

And the meal has been served today for the first time this year as there is not fund released by the state government.

However, some schools could still manage to provide meals to the children very often with the help of the local villagers through voluntary contribution and left over school fund of the previous year.

The component of meal consists of rice, pulse and beans are served in the schools.

Enquiring about the utensils and cook, visitors were surprised learnt that each school is getting only 5 plates, 5 cups,2 pots and 1 pots issued by the State government no matter how large is the numbers of students enrolled.

It's also reported that cooks in some schools are paid by the villagers where as some has never been paid till date as there is no fund.

Another common grievances learnt during visit are inadequate supply of school text books especially science text book, furniture like black board, benches and class rooms and book shelves.

It's also learnt that most of the schools don't have toilets, drinking water supply and electricity, and school surroundings are also looked very unhygienic.

Consumption of quantity of rice by school tots raised the eyebrow of the visitors, as in some school, children take more quantity of rice than they are expected.

Teachers also observed that mid-day meal is a pulling force for children who don't want to come to schools.

The school attendance usually rise if they know that mid-day meal would be served on the working day.

But this year, children stay away from schools and their attendance is very poor because of one of the factors that we could hardly provide them meals, shared a lady teacher.

Interacting with school authorities, teachers, village chairmen, VEC, parents, D.C.Nidhi assured them that school meals would be regularized in all the schools in 15 to 20 days from now unlike in the past.

Teachers are also instructed to serve meal to children every working day without fail.

She asked villagers to extend help for betterment of children education by diverting little amount of fund from NREGA for mid-day meal, which will be reimbursed by the schools, before the fund is released.

The D.C.also further said that she would constitute, very shortly, a separate monitoring mechanism or vigilance committee to check the management and flow of fund for mid-day meal in every Block in the District.

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