20/09/2022 - Education

KEY POINTS

·        The Tamil Nadu government’s launch of the free breakfast scheme for schoolchildren is an instance of a policy initiative with far-reaching consequences for school education and public health.

·        Multiple studies across the globe indicate that eating breakfast regularly confers positive outcomes on students, affecting their ability to focus, learn and retain information positively.

·        School performance improves, as do behaviour and cognition, but a regular breakfast also takes care of diet quality, micronutrient sufficiency, anaemia and height and weight issues in children.

·        The government has targeted providing schoolchildren an average of 293 calories and an average protein input of 9.85 gm per day.

·        The Centre’s midday meal guidelines prescribe between 450-700 cals per child per day, and a protein intake of 12-20 gm per day.

·        The government, rich with its experience of dealing with the mid-day meal scheme over several decades, must avoid the errors of omission.

·        The commission including pilferage, poor quality of food, delays in sanctioning funds, and caste-related disruptions  that have been hurdles in its path earlier.

·        Other State governments would also do well to be inspired by Tamil Nadu, which has allowed its intent to triumph over the state of its finances, finding money to fund this very crucial aspect of nation building  ensuring the growth and development of children.

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