MADURAI: Through private-public partnership, the Madurai city corporation has introduced a breakfast scheme for students of classes 6-8 in government schools. Over 1,300 students are expected to benefit under the scheme. Chief Minister MK Stalin last year launched a breakfast scheme for students of classes 1-5 in government schools, and as many as 7,197 students in about 74 schools received meals in the morning through the scheme in Madurai city. Surveys have revealed that student enrolment has improved in schools after the introduction of the scheme.
During last week's corporation council meeting, a proposal was approved to provide breakfast to students of classes 6-8 in 28 schools also through a partnership between the civic body and private entities. "The breakfast scheme is a landmark achievement of the chief minister. However, when the corporation education committee members led by the mayor inspected the scheme's implementation at the Muthupatti middle school, they saw the students of classes 6 and above watching the students of primary classes having breakfast. The mayor then decided to try and extend the benefit to students of other classes too," said M P R Ravichandran, Chairperson of the Education Committee of Madurai corporation.
Around Rs 44 lakh will be needed annually to extend the meal scheme for classes 6-8 in the city. "Through donations from several private entities, the corporation has been able to introduce this scheme last week. We have received favourable feedback for the initiative from students," he added.