Dry ration packages for students in lieu of schools’ nutrition programme
View(s):The Education Ministry has allocated Rs 1.05 billion for the distribution of ‘dry ration packages’ for students as the food and nutrition programme in state schools has been put on hold due to the current COVID-19 situation, a senior official attached to the Ministry’s Food and Nutrition Unit said recently.
The move to issue dry ration packages to students came about as 7983 schools in the island would remain closed until further notice considering the current state of the pandemic.
The Ministry had already issued dry ration packages worth Rs 1000 which consist of kadala, butter, and healthy biscuit packets to 1,080,000 students.
Earlier, the Ministry with the assistance of the World Food Programme carried out school nutrition programmes such as distributing fresh milk and lunch meals for students in state schools across the island.
The dry ration package was to be issued every one and half months for selected students, after the available supplies were looked into and schools were re-opened for academic purposes, the official said.
-SR