Students happy with summer vacation midday meal programme, but don’t like the long trek for lunch

The Karnataka government has extended midday meals for the summer holidays too in the 223 drought-hit taluks as a relief measure. But the decision to offer meals only in nodal schools has left the students unhappy.

The Karnataka government has extended midday meals for the summer holidays too in the 223 drought-hit taluks as a relief measure. But the decision to offer meals only in nodal schools has left the students unhappy.

In many instances, these schools are located 1 or 2 km away from where they live and they say that the trek in the hot sun is not easy. So they are demanding that food is provided in the schools they regularly go to, located closer to their homes.

The students and parents have urged the Department of School Education and Literacy (DSEL) to provide food in every school or change the timings to earlier in the day so that they escape mid afternoon sun. Temperature has crossed 43 degrees Celsius in many districts of North Karnataka.

The summer midday meal programme started on Friday and will go on till May 28 for Class 1 to 8 in government and aided schools. A total of 23.58 lakh students have opted for the scheme.

“My teachers called and told me to come to the neighbouring village. But it is very difficult to go at noon,” said a Class 6 student from Bengaluru Rural district. “The temperature has crossed 39 degree Celsius in our district. So, how can children go to the nodal school, which is 2 km away from my place?” questioned Shanthappa, a parent from Tumakuru district whose son is in Class 5. “Due to high temperature, he is falling ill again and again. Therefore, I don’t want to send him too far,” he added.

Speaking to The Hindu, Umesh G. Gangavadi, State president of School Development and Monitoring Committees, said, “Due to high temperatures, the government has temporarily revised the schedule of government offices in places like Kalaburagi, Ballari, Yadgir, Koppal, Raichur, Bidar, Vijayapura and Bagalkot in April and May. When such is the case, the DSEL should either revise the summer vacation midday meals programme timings or arrange them in every school.”

Sindhu B. Rupesh, Director of PM Poshan of the Department of School Education, said, “Wherever there is a caution of heatwave by the Department of Health, we will open schools from 8 a.m. to noon and food will be served by 10 a.m. Due to the Parliamentary election, most of the teachers are appointed for election duty. Therefore, due to the shortage of teachers, it is very difficult to provide summer vacation midday meals in every schools,” she said.