the goan I network
VASCO
Taking serious note of The Goan report highlighting the plight of a school deprived of mid-day meals for over a month, Mormugao Municipal Council (MMC) Chief Officer Agnelo Fernandes has decided to initiate surprise checks to check quality of mid-day meals in all schools in Vasco city.
Fernandes said he would also convene a separate meeting with different self help groups (SHG) to check for issues regarding mid-day meals to students.
The issue of mid-day meals was highlighted at a meeting convened by Fernandes with heads of various schools in Vasco on Wednesday, to take stock of safety measures for students and to know the shortcomings in schools under the Children's Act 2003.
It may be recalled that The Goan on Monday had highlighted the issue of mid-day meals not provided to students of a school in Sada for over a month.
"Are you aware that the chief officer is the authority to check contents of food packets provided to students for mid-day meals? The chief officer is also supposed to make random visits along with the ADEI for inspection and give points and take signatures from the principal," said Fernandes at the meeting.
Fernandes said there would be surprise inspections and random visits to check mid-day meals offered to students.
"I request all schools to maintain and use the government chart of protein and calories per day of mid-day meal handy and use it."
Stating he would convene a separate meet with SHGs and the ADEI Mormugao David Noronha to check for issues regarding mid-day meals to students. Noronha was instructed to provide
names of different SHGs contracted to provide mid-day meals to students in Vasco schools.
Later speaking to reporters after the meeting, Fernandes said: "It has been brought to my notice that a school was not offered mid-day meal for a month and I will not take this lightly. I don't want to jump to take action, but after the meeting, there will be a lot of surprise checks with regards to mid-day meals," said
Fernandes.
School head irked about poor mid-day meals, indifferent food vendor
VASCO: Complaining about the poor quality of mid-day meals, the head of the Government School at Sada-Vasco also criticised the indifference of a food vendor in the matter.
"Students were offered only plain boiled grams and it was only after my intervention that the contractor added turmeric and necessary masala," said Government School (Sada) headmistress Theresa Andrade at the meeting of school heads with the chief officer of Mormugao Municipal Council.
"One day, the food offered in the mid-day meal was so salty, it could not be given to students and was wasted. The vendor simply said "omit today's mid-day meal" and left. This is not done. I also complained to the ADEI about the school receiving plain boiled chanas," said Andrade.
