BENGALURU: From now on, parents must taste the food prepared for mid-day meals at schools before it is served to the students.
A circular to this effect was issued recently by the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) and Department of School Education and Literacy and has been circulated to all states for effective implementation.The Mid-day Meal Rules 2015 issued on September 30, 2015, make it mandatory for the School Development and Management Committee (SDMC) members to monitor preparation and condition of hygiene and also to taste the food.
The authorities had included teachers also to taste the food. Now, parents too have been made responsible for tasting and ensuring the quality of food.
The circular issued by MHRD says, “It has
now been decided that in addition to the mandatory testing by one teacher, at least one parent and preferably two, who may or may not be SMC members, should be present during serving of the meals to students so that they can taste the food as well as certify the number of children, who partake of the mid-day meal.”
The Ministry has also asked the principals/headmasters of the schools to prepare a list of parents. “For this purpose, a roster of such parents should be drawn up in advance on a monthly basis and a register must be maintained at the school to record their observations,” says the circular signed by Gaya Prasad, director of the Mid-day Meal project.
It is mandatory for all schools across the country to follow the guidelines. The authorities, who head the Mid-day Meal Project in the states, must provide instructions to the schools.