Students to get mid-day meals on exam days

Aparna Banerji

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, February 17

The Education Department is set to rope in mid-day meal workers for duties during Class V and VIII examinations to be held from February 20 to 27.

In the instructions issued by the DGSE, Punjab, to all DEOs (elementary and senior secondary education) as well as CEOs, Jalandhar, Patiala and Faridkot, mid-day meal staff have been directed to provide the meals to students in the very schools where they shall be appearing for exams.

Mid-day meal cooking cost, grain consumption and expenditure shall also be issued from the respective schools.

The staff have also been instructed to ensure that none of the students present miss out on the meals.

More than 1,000 teachers shall conduct tests at more than 250 centres.

More than 17,800 students of Class VIII shall be appearing for the tests. The examinations will be conducted on the basis of the learning outcome evaluation system for the students of these two classes. The mid-day meal workers shall be feeding students of the respective schools and those appearing for the exams.

The mid-day meal workers had also been put on duty to feed the polling staff during the elections. The staff are also yet to receive their allowance.

A deputation of the Mid-Day Meal Workers Union, Jalandhar, headed by Jaswinder Kaur Tahli, district secretary, also met the Deputy Commissioner-cum-District Election Officer, KK Yadav, regarding the issue yesterday.

They have demanded an allowance of at least Rs 250 per worker. The delegation has also threatened a dharna if their allowances are not paid in time.

DEO Harinder Pal said, “The report of the students appearing at a particular centre shall be sent to the centre heads beforehand so that mid-day meal arrangements can be made accordingly. It shall be ensured that none of the students appearing for exams go without the meal.”