dnb exclusive: Govt wants pvt schools to serve mid-day meals to poor students

 If the government were to have its way then private schools across the country might soon have to serve free meals to students from poor background.

Although private schools are currently reserving 25% of their seats for the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) under the Right to Education (RTE) Act, a proposal moved by the HRD ministry now expects them to assume even bigger responsibility in educating the underprivileged by extending benefits of the mid-day meal scheme (MDMS) to them.

The government estimates that the implementation of this proposal could cost almost Rs3,000 crore for the 12th Plan period and a note for the Expenditure Finance Committee has been circulated among various ministries for comments.

There are close to three lakh recognised private schools in the country. The HRD ministry is hopeful that 35 lakh underprivileged children enrolled in unaided schools (under the RTE Act) will benefit from the above plan.

The cooking cost incurred by the schools will be reimbursed by the state and central governments. The reimbursement amount will be the same as what the government currently spends on per child a day under MDMS, which is Rs3.34 per child a day for primary students and roughly Rs5 per child per meal for upper primary students.

The intention, though noble, is sure to ruffle feathers among private schools in the country as they are already unhappy over the introduction of compulsory reservation for EWS children.

One of the biggest arguments made against the extension of MDMS to unaided schools is that the government’s cooking cost is not enough to ensure adequate quantity and good quality of meals.

Rajhans Vidyalaya in Mumbai, which already follows the practice of serving meals to its students, spends about Rs45 to provide breakfast and lunch to per child a day. “Our meals are simple, but of good quality.

The government’s cooking cost of Rs4 per child a day against our cost of providing a meal seems quite impractical,” said Deepshikha Srivastava, principal of Rajhans Vidyalaya.

Another reason why educational institutions are not too enthusiastic about the proposal is that the government is yet to reimburse the cost of educating EWS children admitted through the 25% quota of the RTE Act.

Schools in New Delhi first introduced the EWS quota three years ago, but most of them haven’t seen a penny of the promised reimbursement, that is Rs 1,100 per child per month.

“They (state government) haven’t given us what has been our entitlement for the last three years then how will they give us money for providing mid-day meals?” asked Ameeta Wattal of Springdales School, Pusa Road, New Delhi.

Then there is the legitimate fear of MDMS coming in the way of integrating EWS children with other students in a classroom.

This concern is shared by experts as well. “If there is a separate arrangement to feed poor students then I am afraid it could stigmatise these kids and prevent their social integration,” said activist Harsh Mander.

According to ministry officials, the government is aware of the above concern and that they are considering a number of options to prevent stigmatisation of EWS children in the school. “The modalities of implementation will be finalised once the permission for expenditure is in place. We will consider all the concerns then,” said an official not willing to be identified.