Midday meal: Kids made to share plates at this Raisen school
Students at government school in Raisen district’s Obedullaganj are forced to share plates to eat their midday meals as the institute does not have enough dishes for all the children.
Students at government school in Raisen district’s Obedullaganj are forced to share plates to eat their midday meals as the institute does not have enough dishes for all the children.
The Rozra Chakkar government primary school has only 12 plates for the 47 students who study in the school. Around three to four students are forced to eat their meals from a single plate — a lack of bowls means all the vegetables, lentils and other liquids are also served in the same utensil. Many students are forced to keep their rotis either on their lap or on the ground to keep it dry.
HT has a video in its possession of the children eating their midday meal. However, HT could not independently verify the authenticity of the video.
“We have limited plates, thus students have to share them. We can’t help it. We have sent a maang patra (charter of demands) to the education department for more plates. I feel bad for students,” assistant teacher Udham Singh Solanki, who is also the school’s in-charge, said.
State divisional magistrate Rajesh Srivastava told HT, “I have taken cognisance of the issue. Plates for all 47 students will be provided soon.”
This is the latest in a series of controversies to strike the midday meal scheme in the state. Earlier, two girl students of a government primary school in Chhatarpur district were found preparing midday meal. School authorities, however, had denied that the girls were forced to cook the meal, saying that they had volunteered.