PROBLEMS IN IMPLEMENTING THE SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAMME
Several problems are faced by the people involved in the organisation of the school lunch programme' Unless these problems are overcome the smooth running of the programme is not possible. The problems of the school lunch programme as assessed by Sri Avinashilingam Home Science College from different points of view ate given below.
Absence of ideology, commitment and dedication to the cause which leads to lack of priority in planning for child nutrition is the greatest problem.
Local financing is a problem keenly felt by all the cadres. Ab- sence of nutrition education for all those who deal with the feeding programme is another pressing problem.
Apart from paucity of funds, there are many difficulties en- countered in mobilizing public contribution and local participation on a continuing basis, on which the school meal programme has been developed. Equally harassing are the problems in transporting, stocking, storing and utilizing the gift food from CARE.
1. Lack of community participation
2. Lack of adequate and safe storage facilities in the school
3. Difficulties in maintaining school gardens during vacations
4. Lack of cooking facilities and personnel
5. Difficulties in finding funds for appointment of coods and
6. Damages and losses during transit and storage due to defective packing.
The District Educational Officer and Inspector of Schools who supply CARE food materials and the Health Inspectors who supervise the sanitary aspects of the school meal programme find that
1. Headmasters do not produce correct accounts with regard to money and CARE provisions.
117
118
2. There is no facility for transporting the food materials to the schools. Therefore, they have to wait for the teachers to come. They do not arrive in time and
3. Headmasters return the old bags of CSM saying that they are infested with weevils. They do not check them in time nor do they use them properly.
The officers involved in the supervision and food production aspects of the school meal find that
1. They are expected to supervise without authority.
2. All Panchayats (Village councils) are not able to meet the contribution
3. Lack of time and co-operation to mobilise the villagers to raise money as local contribution
4. Frequent transfers among the personnel discourage them and their efforts in different blocks and
5. Many schools have no kitchen space or facilities.
In one of the studies 35 teachers from the Perianaickenpalayam Pock and 164 teachers from the District revealed the following probelms:
1. Inadequacy of funds, grant from the government are inadequate and some schools are in debt because of meeting the expenditure.
2. Lack of steady supply of funds, collection of funds and contributions from the public who cannot be enthusiastic all the time is a heavy burden.
3. Carrying water from the well
4. Scarcity of water from the well.
5. Scarcity of water and unhygienic supply of water.
6. Need for teachers to cook food which takes away their attention from teaching which is their legitimate duty and responsibility.
7. Involving pupils for cooking, serving and washing. This practice takes them away from the classes, makes them tired and inattentive in the class.
119
8. Failure of panchayat to meet their obligations. Therefore, schools are in debt and they are forced to maintain false accounts,
9. Infestation of CARE foods with weevils and other insects.
10. Transportation of CARE food to the village from the district centre is difficult. The expenditure of time, money and effort involved are enormous.
11. Often the supply of CARE food is delayed and not regular.
12. Inadequacy of space and utensils. Thatched sheds, classroom or verandahs are used for cooking and serving food.
13. Non-acceptability of new foods by pupils.
14. Lack of training for teachers in running the school meal programme.
15. No facilities like land, water, fertilisers and pesticides for school gardens.
16. Lack of storage facilities and infestation by rodents.
17. Lack of provision to feed all the hungry children.
18. Lack of cooperation from parents and the public.
Thus although the feeding programme have been planned with sound and well thoughtout objectives at the higher levels with the help of international agencies and experts there are several loopholes. Hence the feeding programme does not appear to achieve the expected, permanent results.
References:
1. Devadas, Rajammal, P. Nutrition in Tamil Nadu, Sangam Publishers, Madras-600 001, 1972.
2. Devadas, Rajammal, P. Problems in organisation and implementation of school meal programme in India. Proc. First Asian Gong. Nutr., 1972, pp. 181-193.