Govt to launch cooked midday meals pilot project soon: Bobby Hajjaj
Head teachers of government primary schools from different upazilas of the district were also present.
State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Bobby Hajjaj today (26 August) said that the government will soon launch a pilot project to provide cooked meals to the school children.
The project would be implemented by involving the mothers of the students in the preparation and distribution of food, he said.
The state minister was addressing an orientation programme for the head teachers titled "Feeding Programme in Government Primary Schools" and a view exchange meeting on improving the quality of primary education at Shaheed Satu Hall here as the chief guest.
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He said following the experiences from Sri Lanka and India's Tamil Nadu, the government plans to test different models under which vegetables, eggs, fish and other ingredients will be procured from local markets and meals will be prepared and supplied with the participation of local mothers.
"The methods may vary, but the government's sole objective is to ensure that every child receives safe, quality and nutritious food on time," he said.
Speaking about the midday meal programme, Hajjaj said irregularities and complaints related to the project have declined significantly due to effective monitoring by mothers' committees.
Direct involvement of mothers at the local level is ensuring greater transparency and accountability in the quality, supply and distribution of the food, he said.
Participation of mothers is making the midday meal programme more transparent, accountable and safe for children, he said.
Bobby Hajjaj said the two major goals of the Prime Minister are to ensure that no child remains out of school and that every child receives quality education.
The primary responsibility for achieving these goals lies with teachers and education officials at the grassroots level, he added.
Field-level officials must play a more effective role in ensuring students' attendance, classroom activities, learning progress and congenial educational environment, he added.
The minister also said changes are being introduced in the teacher training system so that the teachers do not have to remain outside their schools for extended time for training, thereby creating teacher shortages.
He said effective measures are also being taken for performance-based promotion, a new transfer policy and teachers' professional development. A new policy is also being considered to provide school-specific hardship allowances for the teachers serving in remote areas.
To address the teacher shortage, work is progressing to fill up the vacant posts, recruit head teachers and ensure the required number of teachers, Hajjaj said.
Initiatives are also being taken to provide schools with necessary support staff, including night guards and MLSS personnel, he said.
Regarding primary education infrastructure, the state minister said a moveable infrastructure model is being developed for areas where schools are repeatedly at risk of displacement due to river erosion and other factors.
He said various models already implemented in remote and vulnerable areas would be reviewed and efforts would be made to introduce suitable models under the government system.
"Curriculum, teachers, monitoring, infrastructure and technology, if necessary, reforms and improvements can be ensured in these five key areas, the country's primary education system will move in the right direction," Bobby Hajjaj said.
He said improving the quality of education requires more than changing a single aspect.
Modernising the curriculum, ensuring competent and responsible teachers, establishing an effective monitoring system, improving school infrastructure and ensuring appropriate use of technology must all be addressed together.
"Coordinated work in these five areas will be the key to achieving the desired transformation in primary education," he said.
Lawmaker from Chapainawabganj-3 constituency Md Nurul Islam Bulbul, District Council Administrator Md Harunur Rashid and Feeding Programme Project Director Md Abul Amin attended the event as special guests with Chapainawabganj Deputy Commissioner Abu Saleh Md Musa Jangi in the chair.
Head teachers of government primary schools from different upazilas of the district were also present.
