HUBBALLI: In a bid to protest the introduction of eggs in midday meal scheme for the government schools children, at least three parents in Koppal and Ballari district have taken the leaving certificate of their wards to admit them to private schools. The reason given is they do not want to send their wards to government schools where egg is introduced as part of food.
Parents of a class 1 student from a government school in Koppal were first to take back the leaving certificate citing egg introduction as the issue. The parents reportedly told the school authorities that their wards could start eating eggs with the influence of other children. Two more cases of taking back transfer certificates were reported in Ballari as well. The education department officials are however firm on providing eggs and bananas for children.
"There are few incidents that came to our notice that parents are demanding leaving certificates to join their wards to private schools. It's a mark of protest by the members of an organisation who have been opposing the introduction of eggs into midday meal schemes. All the schools have prepared the list of egg eating and banana eating students, and according to the list food is provided. There is no question of influence," opined an education department official from Ballari.
The state government had recently announced plans to provide eggs and bananas for school children to address the malnutrition issue. As its a known fact that many malnourished children study in government schools of Kalyana Karnataka region, the government has introduced eggs. While the move of the government was welcomed by many, select organisations went on protest in Bidar, Koppal and Ballari in rollback introduction of eggs and instead look for protein food in vegetarian.
There are also reports that attendance in government schools in the Kalyana Karnataka region has improved after the introduction of eggs and bananas. Education activists state that the government must talk to protesting organisations so that the children do not suffer. There have been instances where egg consuming children were made to sit separately from those eating bananas in some schools.
"Earlier all the kids ate their lunch together. But now after the introduction of eggs some schools in Koppal taluk are bringing differences between the children. The kids must be made aware about the different food habits of children," the activist added.