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