School Feeding Program Kicks Off Tomorrow

School feeding programme is going to lunch tomorrow in some selected government primary schools across the country aiming to increase the attendance rate, maintain attention and improve nutrition of the students. Primary and Mass Education Adviser Professor Dr Bidhan Ranjan Roy Podder is expected to inaugurate the school feeding programme at Khubjipur Government Primary School in Gurudaspur upazila of Natore. According to the project titled 'Feeding Programme in Government Primary Schools', 

Under the project a total of 31,13,000 students in 19,419 government primary schools in 150 selected upazilas will be provided with fortified biscuits, bananas or seasonal fruits, bread, eggs and UHT milk during five school days every week till 2027. The items of the feeding will be- 120 grams of bread and boiled eggs will be provided on Sunday, 200 grams of bread and UHT milk on Monday, 75 grams of fortified biscuits and bananas or local seasonal fruits on Tuesday, and bread and boiled eggs on Wednesday and Thursday. 

The proposed food list plans to ensure the supply of 25.9 percent of total energy, 32.2 percent of micronutrients, 16.4 percent of protein and 21.7 percent of fat. Project director Mohammad Harun-ur-Rashid said the project aims to help children in government primary schools in Bangladesh achieve inclusive, equitable and quality education and improve their nutritional status by providing nutritious food.
 
As a result, he said, the school attendance rate of children will be more than 80 percent and dropout will come down and the actual enrollment rate in schools will increase by more than 10 percent every year.