The Education Ministry should be lauded for its plan to provide breakfast every school day to pupils, beginning January.
This is a massive endeavour that requires thorough planning, in addition to a huge budget for it to achieve its objectives.
The many proposals put forth by the stakeholders are testament to the project’s importance and potential impact on the wellbeing of pupils.
A ‘cooked’ breakfast may not be the practicable approach to preparing a meal to serve on time and early in the morning to every pupil in an averagely large primary school.
I suggest that every pupil be given a food voucher daily.
The ministry can determine the value of the voucher.A pupil is free to use the voucher to buy food from the canteen for breakfast or lunch. This arrangement allows flexibility as some pupils may have their breakfast at home before coming to school.
There are also those who need to stay back for extra classes or co-curricular activities after school and therefore must have lunch in school.This will help pupils who may not have enough pocket money for a decent recess-time meal.
Parents and teachers can educate their charges, especially Year One pupils, at the beginning of the school year on how best to use their voucher to derive maximum benefits.
Educate children on nutritional values and how to select a combination of food and drinks that gives them the nutrients and calories needed for the day.
Canteen operators have been given instructions on the types of food and drinks they are allowed to sell.
The school authority is tasked with monitoring and ensuring that these instructions are strictly adhered to.
Canteen operators must help pupils choose food and drinks according to the value of the vouchers.
When the need arises, pupils can top up the voucher with their own pocket money.
It is hoped that with this daily assured ‘income and business’,canteen operators would be encouraged to work harder and provide better quality food and drinks for children.It is a win-win situation.
With pupils buying and eating food during breakfast, recess or lunch time,canteens can continue to operate normally.
Canteens will be spared the ‘congestion’ which may see pupils having to eat in classrooms.Schools need not allocate a special time for pupils to eat their breakfast and to clean up.Lesson hours will not be disrupted.
Providing food to our primary pupils is a good project.Let’s go for it!
LIONG KAM CHONG
Seremban, Negri Sembilan