A Main-Meal for All children in grade 1-5 Starting Tomorrow

From tomorrow (25th), the Ministry of Education has taken steps to provide a main meal at school to children in grades 1-5 in all schools in the island.

Taking into consideration the recommendations of nutritionists, the Minister of Education Susil Premajayantha has given instructions to provide this breakfast between 7.30 am and 8.30 am before the students engage in educational activities.

The Ministry of Education has paid more attention to maintain the diet at a high level in terms of nutrition and health.

Under the theme of “Healthy Active Generation”, the school meal program implemented for the year 2024 aims to reduce nutritional problems among school students, increase students’ daily school attendance, develop good eating habits and health habits, contribute to the growth of educational achievement levels and It is expected to fulfill the four basic objectives of building local food culture.

1.6 million students are included in the school meal program this year, covering all the students in the primary grades of 9134 government schools and all schools with less than 100 students.

For this, the government has allocated a budget of 16,600 million rupees directly to the 09 provincial councils, and in addition, sponsorship is provided by other organizations including the World Food Program and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

With the direct intervention of Education Minister Susil Premajayantha, the amount of 85 rupees provided by the government for one student meal has been increased to 110 rupees relative to the increase in the existing market prices.

The food required for this nutrition program is provided by major local suppliers and it also contributes to strengthening the country’s manufacturing economy through direct and indirect new job creation.

Under the leadership of President Ranil Ranil Wickramasinghe and with the participation of Education Minister Dr. Susil Premajayantha, the 2024 school meal program will begin tomorrow (25) at the Sujatha Girls’ College in Narahenpita and simultaneously, the inaugural programs will be held at the provincial level all over the island.