Natore: A school feeding programme is set to commence tomorrow in selected government primary schools across the country with the aim of boosting attendance rates, maintaining student attention, and improving nutrition. Primary and Mass Education Adviser Professor Dr. Bidhan Ranjan Roy Podder is expected to inaugurate the programme at Khubjipur Government Primary School in Gurudaspur upazila of Natore.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the project titled 'Feeding Programme in Government Primary Schools' will benefit a total of 3,113,000 students in 19,419 government primary schools across 150 selected upazilas. The students will receive fortified biscuits, bananas or seasonal fruits, bread, eggs, and UHT milk during five school days each week until 2027.
The feeding schedule includes 120 grams of bread and boiled eggs on Sunday, 200 grams of bread and UHT milk on Monday, and 75 grams of fortified biscuits with bananas or local seasonal fruits on Tuesday. Bread and boiled eggs will be provided again on both Wednesday and Thursday. This proposed food list aims to supply 25.9 percent of total energy, 32.2 percent of micronutrients, 16.4 percent of protein, and 21.7 percent of fat.
Project director Mohammad Harun-ur-Rashid stated that the project aims to support children in government primary schools in Bangladesh by providing nutritious food to achieve inclusive, equitable, and quality education while improving their nutritional status. Consequently, the school attendance rate is expected to surpass 80 percent, and dropout rates are anticipated to decrease, with actual enrollment rates projected to increase by more than 10 percent annually.