Take-home dry rations not given to primary school children in May: CTU

A sum of US $ 400,000 (Rs. 75 million) handed over to the Education Ministry to provide dry rations to underprivileged school children during the emergency lockdown period was not distributed, the Ceylon Teachers Union (CTU) said recently.

CTU Secretary Joseph Stalin said the funds were provided by the United Nations World

Food Programme ( UNWPF) and t h e Au s t r a l i a n Department of Foreign Affairs at the beginning of May, this year.

The initiative was granted under the National School Meal Programme to help about 80,000 primary school children receive a month's worth of take-home dry rations.

The dry ration parcels were to contain eggs, lentils and other nutritious food with the purpose of providing healthy and nutritious food for these school children.

However, the Ministry was unable to distribute the food because of the long delay in schools' re- opening, due to the spread of COVID-19.

Since the primary grades will begin their classes on

July 27, 2020 the Ministry could make arrangements to distribute the food before these school children come back to school, the CTU said.

Suggestions had also been made to provide a mid-day meal instead of take-home dry rations as the higher grades have already started their classes.

"This will ensure that the children get their required nourishment," Mr Stalin said.

(cc)