Mothers to keep watch on midday meal for kids in UP

It’s a Mother’s Day gift for lakhs of children and their moms in Uttar Pradesh. “Maa” will now keep an eye on midday meals served to students in state-run primary schools to ensure that they get nutritious food prepared in hygienic conditions.

“In view of a number of complaints related to quality of midday meal being served in primary schools, there will be ‘maa’ in every school. It will be a committee of six mothers, from all sections of society, whose students are studying in that school,” UP basic education minister Anupma Jaiswal said on Sunday.

From cleanliness in kitchen, to quality of food being served to children, they will keep an eye on minute details, he said.

The state government is expecting a change in atmosphere of primary schools this session with directives being issued for punctuality of teachers and introduction of new uniforms and school bags, she said here.

“To ensure presence of teachers in schools, it has also been decided to put up their phone numbers with photographs in schools. It will help parents to contact them in case they are absent,” the minister said.

The state government is also considering a proposal to declare “no school bag day” on Saturdays in staterun schools. Students will be allowed to come to school without their school bags on Saturdays so that they can enjoy themselves in creative activities, she said.

It will establish a good rapport between students and teachers and help in their personality development.

Earlier, the Yogi Adityanath government decided to bid goodbye to the khaki dress worn by students of government schools.

From the session starting July, they will be seen in a new uniform comprising pink-and-white check shirt with brown collar and brown trousers for boys and similar shirt with brown skirt for girls. At the seniorlevel, girl students will wear brown salwar, red kurta with a brown dupatta.

◗ The decision has been taken in view of a number of complaints on food quality

◗ A committee of six mothers will be set up to monitor food preparation

— AFP Devotees with steel rod piercings through their cheeks stand as they taking part in a procession to honour the goddess Maha Mariamman to mark Mother’s Day in Amritsar on Sunday.