Egg To Be Included In Mid Day Meals: Commissioner of School Education

Mid day meals in India have more often than not only garnered negative publicity, but it may be time for a change now. The Commissioner of School Education has instructed the headmasters of all the government schools in the State to provide egg three times a week to the students. This development comes after a report that stated the lack of eggs in meals supplied in schools.

The Commissioner added that even though the government had directed the school headmasters to include egg in the midday meal programme, this was not implemented. Moreover, the standard menu planned by the government was also not followed.

The lack of eggs in meals has been reported due to certain apprehension by agencies on the basis of religious views, given the belief that egg is considered a non-vegetarian food. The schools have been accepting supply of food by these agencies, as the government did not make it mandatory to supply egg as part of midday meal scheme.

Till now.

However, now the headmasters have been told to supply eggs in coordination with National Egg Coordination Committee. And after this new directive, schools will now serve egg and sambar on Monday; vegetables on Tuesday; Dal, vegetables, and egg on Wednesday; sambar on Thursday; egg and vegetables on Friday; and vegetables with dal on Saturday to students, reports The Hans India.

In addition, to fixing a new egg-rich menu, schools have also been asked to display the menu everyday on the notice board and before serving the students, the prepared food should be first tasted by the headmaster or designated teacher before it is supplied to the students.

Currently, the mid day meal plan is followed in all the government, local body, aided, model and Madrasa schools to the students studying from first to tenth classes.