Nutritious Food for School Children???

BBS News dated 12th March was brilliant but not exciting, nothing new –Government to focus nutritious diet in schools. What are our school children eating so far? –rock –paper, and –scissor.

I would like to point down a few observations regarding this and our governments pledges. In the world deluged by self-driven motives, money and fame are excessively becoming powerful. Therefore, I can summarize a very nutritious diet menu into four factors that can solve long standing puzzles of ours.

Pledge Factor –

Of Course, the government can work to fulfill their pledges. But more than a pledge they must also look at the ground reality. Government must genuinely study the existing system before making it national. For kind information every boarding school has already a balanced diet menu and some even have better and sufficient menus than our individual homes. 

Stipend Factor –

Money alone can't solve this equation. I feel Nu. 1000.00 to Nu. 1500.00 or little more per student per month is a good sum. One can easily manage a very good balanced diet menu with Nu. 1000.00 in mass. Increasing stipend without planning is a loss in itself. Let's cook the mouthwatering menu to our children and not from the prime minister's desk. Most of the schools across the country have already very good nutritious menus --eggs, meats/fish, butter, fruits, Yogurt, milk, lentils, green vegetables, chilli, chickpeas etc etc... What more? We only need proper and transparent management in the kitchen to suppliers. 

Way forward –let us also implement some good food habits in our kids. I feel every meal shouldn't be Rice-Rice-Rice.

Cook Factor –

The biggest challenges I can see in our schools is with cooks. What if government employees trained, genuine and educated cooks? Government can look out for a better pay package for our cooks so that the right menu with quality food can reach our children. The other most important issue our cooks face today is the housing problem. Most of them either build their own hurt or rent low quality houses which makes them morally low. All we need is to provide them with a better working environment. That would bring more work proficient, a sense of belongingness and better work ethics. We all must also know that everything (right menu) starts from them (cooks).

Working condition Factor –

If we want quality food to reach to our children, we must also look for better working conditions. What if we can replace the old oven with modern gears –Rice Cooker. Rice cooker is more environment friendly, safe and easy to use. It also saves time and energy. 

Way forward –some workable engineers, please think for modern kitchen with a proper water supply.

Why does a student have to go to the Agriculture ministry, when education has a separate division who looks after the school food and nutrition/feeding program? Instead of making it a more delicious menu, it would further escalate inconsistency and more problems.

If we want to see the change in our school kitchen, we need to change the mindset by making the cooking job more attractive, /some investment in our cooks. We need someone who can serve the nation with loyalty and to TSA-WA-SUM with honesty.