Evolving strategies to strengthen Mid day meal scheme : A case study of three primary schools of...

Evolving strategies to strengthen

Mid day meal scheme :

A case study of three primary schools of Lucknow

Dr. C S Verma Indu Pandey , Suman, Sonam, Sanchita,

KundalDept. of Economics : MBPG Degree College Lucknow

Impact of mid - day meal

INTRODUCTION

- In UP, Launched in 2002.

- Cooked mid day meal started in 2004.

- To address health, education, nutrition and social

equity issues.

- Its main aim to remove hunger & malnutrition in poor.


INTRODUCTION Contd . . .

- The objectives of the mid day meal programme were to

increase the enrolment, retention and attendance of

children in school leading to universalisation of primary

education, impacting learning and simultaneously also

improving the nutritional status of children.


Facts

- A cooked mid day meal makes the school attractive for

the child and along with enrolment and attendance it

impacts the learning process.

- Studies have shown that children come to school on an

empty stomach and the issue of ‘classroom hunger’ is

extremely serious.


Facts Contd . . .

- The contribution of the MDM to food security and child

nutrition was especially crucial in tribal areas where

hunger is epidemic. Households run by women, widows

and of the landless as well as mothers who had to work

through the day placed a deep value on the free lunch

provided in the school.


Objective of the study

– To make assessment of the ongoing Mid Day Meals

programme.

– To increase public participation in the ongoing Mid

Day Meals programme.

– To create awareness on food Security.

– Evolve possible strategy to strengthen MDM.


Work Plan

Assessment : Phase – I

Assessment to be done for the following aspects -

- The kind of food provided.

- The infrastructure in schools.

- The problems of teachers in implementing the MDM.

- The participation of people, women etc.

- Involvement of the Ward Committee.

- Agency that provides food.


Work Plan

Assessment : Phase – II

- To look into the availability of local foods that can be

used for formulating new recipes.

- Role of village youths to be assessed with the objective

of sensitising them to involve in awareness programmes

on MDM .

- Sensitising youths to directly involve in the monitoring of

the MDM.


Work Plan

Assessment : Phase – II Contd . . .

- General awareness will be done within the community on

food security through regular meetings.

- Two day Teacher training will be done for better

management and develop understanding of nutrients.

- A Detailed Documentation of the process. A detailed

report and a small film of 15 minutes will be prepared .


Research methodology

- Baseline survey was planned in three ways.

- One , getting information about the school from school sources. The questionnaires prepared for the purposes used for getting this information.

- Two, feedback from the parents of the school children by visiting the households of the three localities.

- Three, Focus Group Discussions.

- Use of statistical tools for data analysis.

- Use of Computer software.


Coverage area


Base Line Survey

- 60 households, whose children were enrolled, from three

villages ,surveyed.

- Interacted with 60 children, from three schools.

- Focus Group Discussions with villagers, Ward Committee

members held.

- Observed the Meal distribution and how students eat.

- All Teachers contacted.


Base Line Survey Contd . . .

- Watched food distribution in school.

- Observed children getting ready for meals in all three

schools.

- Observed teachers while children having meal.

- Had random interaction with community people.

- Interacted with Ward Committee members.


Getting ready to take meal- .

- MDM

distribution :

Children

enjoy

getting

ready for

the meal.


Children having meal- .

- MDM : Children of all castes having meal together without any concern of diversity.


Findings of Survey

- Water facilities : Hand pump in two out of three schools.

- Monitoring : Once in three months. No involvement of parents or Ward Education Committee.

- Quality of meal : Satisfactory, but menu not followed.

Lack of records. Food supplying school was not ready to show details of Quantity of food etc.,


Findings of Survey Contd . . .

- Food being cooked for 44 schools in one place in the premises of primary school Aurangabad.

- Contracted NGO is Chhangaram Bahuddesiya Jan Kalyan Samiti, Lucknow.

- Ration issued is 1.6 Kg per student for 20 days.

- 5 cooks engaged, all from SC community.

- NGO coordinator informed that they have not got any payment for ration bought since July.



- Lack of Community Participation.

- Lack of Awareness. - MDM a tool for Nutrition among poor households but

improvement needed.

- Parents of school children favour the MDM scheme and want it to continue.



- Average 71% households surveyed believe that MDM has contributed in increased attendance of students.

- 88% H holds of Rickshaw colony, the poorest among surveyed localities agree with this.

65%59%

88%71%

35%41%

12%29%

Yes No

Do you think more students are going to schoolbecause of Mid day meal

Do you think more students are going to school because of Mid day meal

Kila Mohamadi Aurangabad Ricksaw Colony Ashiana Average



- Parents suggest food be cooked in school itself.

- Some children earlier working as child labour, coming to school now regularly.

- A few children still out of school due to poverty, working

as child labour.

- Distance a problem for children of Rickshaw colony.



– Study shows that average 75% students go to school regularly; in which Kila Mohamdi Nagar’s 82 % students go to regular school.

82%76%65%

75%

18%24%35%

25%

Yes No

Do student go to school regularly

Do student go to school regularly ?




- 88% students get MDM regularly, followed by 82% in Kila Mohamadi, 88% in Aurangabad, highest 94% in Ricksaw Colony.

82%88%

94%88%

18%12%

6%12%

Yes

No

Do

stud

ent g

et m

id d

aym

eal r

egul

arly

Do student get mid day meal regularly?


35%

100%100%

78%65%

0%0%22%

Yes No

Do student wash their

Do students wash their hand before taking their lunch?




- An interesting result came out in the study that average 78 % students wash their hands before taking their lunch. Inspite of 35% Tondekheda in Kila Mohamadi Nagar.



- As study shows that there are lot of improvement needed in the scheme, average 78% hhs support of it followed by 88% Kila Mohamadi, 76% Aurangabad, 71% Rickshow Colony.

88%76%

71%78%

12%24%

29%22%

Yes No

Do you think any improvement in this scheme

Do you think any improvement is needed in this scheme?




- Average 82 % people think that this scheme will remove caste and religious feelings from young minds.

82%88%

76%82%

18%12%

24%18%

Yes No

Do you think this will help in removingthe caste/ religious feelings from the

Do you think this will help in removing the caste/ religious feelings from the young minds




- Average 86% hhs of surveyed area believe that MDM scheme will increase social harmony in the society.

88%82%88%86%

12%18%12%14%

Yes No

Do you think this will increase social harmony in the society

Do you think this will increase social harmony in the society?




- Average 90% people are in support of this scheme and they recommended that it should continue.

88%82%100%

90%

12%18%0%10%

Yes No

Should this continue or not

Should this scheme continue or not



Follow up

- Meetings held with parents and community people on

their role in improving MDM.

- Ten school dropouts children re admitted to school.

- Parents committees formed to monitor the MDM, to have

monthly meetings also.

- Teachers sensitised on the concept of MDM and their

role in developing a healthy generation.


Follow up Contd . . .

- Meetings held with Youths of the village and groups

formed .

- Youths sensitised on the importance of MDM and their

role in transforming society through MDM

- Youth monitoring committees on MDM formed


Conclusion

- Mid Day Meal has contributed positively towards Social change.

- It has vast potential of transforming children’s minds in healthy direction.

- It has some difficulties in implementation, which can be sorted out with a will power to improve.

- The community participation and surveillance can add to the quality of the scheme.

- The scheme has contributed towards checking Child labour.

- Gender sensitivity has been positively impacted by the MDM.


Recommendations

- Locally available foods that cater to taste and nutritional adequacy must be encouraged and the value of a cooked meal as perceived by children be given its due importance.

- Good quality food must be served with dignity, love, care and respect to all. Special attention should be given to those who are already marginalized and effort towards building sensitivities at all levels of the programme- from children, teachers, communities, schools up to programme planners need to be strengthened.


Recommendations Contd . . .

- For successful implementation the participation of the community needs to be increased and awareness on food Security needs to be created.

- Compulsory training be planned to build capacity of the teachers to efficiently manage and knowledge of nutrition the Mid Day Meals programme.

- Issues of infrastructure in schools such as water supply, toilets, kitchen area, hiring of cooks etc need to be addressed. Also the basic infrastructure of the ICDS programme- a functional anganwadi must be ensured in every settlement.



- A convergence between the ICDS, MDM and the School Health Programme is need to be established.

- Regular monitoring of Mid Day meal will help.

- Food should be cooked in every school instead of supplied food.



- Meal should be made available on all 365 days.

- College and University students may be involved in this programme. This should be made compulsory.

- Counseling of community people on Kitchen gardens.

- Menu to have seasonal vegetables and fruits.

- Menu should be followed strictly.

- Awareness campaigns needed on issues related to hunger in general and hunger deaths in particular.


Thank

You . . .

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