Poverty is a major issue. It has its impact on the primary education as well. Because of mass illiteracy and endemic poverty, the community participation in primary education is low. High drop out, low retention, problems of girls’ education and education of ST (Tribal) children are the major issues for the administration. Several steps have been taken in the district to improve the scenario. The most important intervention to take note of, is the introduction of mid-day meal programme.
Mid-Day Meal programme is in operation in the district since July, 1995. Cooked meal at lunch hour is being provided to the students enrolled in class I to V excepting in Urban schools, where dry ration is being provided from 1.7.2001 in accordance with the revised guidelines issued vide letter No.4761 dated 22.6.2002 of Chief Secretary to Government of Orissa.
ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE OF THE PROGRAMME
The Government of India provides free rice, while the State Government provides funds to meet other expenditure like cost of dal, salt, oil, fuel and stationery, vegetable and condiments. The honoraria paid to cooks and helpers are borne by the Gram Panchayats out of the funds of JGSY. At the district level, the Collector has been monitoring the programme with the assistance of District Social Welfare Officer and Civil Supplies Officer. The Block Development Officers, with the assistance of Extension Officers, Sub Inspectors of Schools, Supply Inspectors, implement the programme for their Blocks. The Child Development Project Officers and Lady Supervisors have also been made responsible for the success of the programme. At the school point, School Education Committees have been formed to supervise implementation at the village level. It has been kept in view to strengthen the functioning of the School Education Committees, so that they can take over the program subsequently.
FINANCE AND MANAGEMENT OF THE PROGRAMME
The rice is being lifted from nearest FCI ("Food Corporation of India") point allotted by Government of India. The required quantity of Dal, Oil, salt are procured locally through purchase committees constituted at district level. The costs of these items are being met out of funds allocated by Government in Women and Child Development Department, Orissa.
Arrangements have been made to lift and deliver the stock through the Civil Supplies Corporation functioning in the district, as the appointment of S & TA for the year 2001-2002 has not yet been finalized.
THE NORMS & COVERAGE OF THE PROGRAMME
The scale of foodstuff prescribed per student per meal is as under.
1. Rice 125 grams per student per day.
2. Dal 15 grams per student per day.
3. Oil 1 gram per student per day.
4. Salt 2 grams per student per day.
5. Vegetable/condiment Rs.0.09 per student per day.
6. Fuel & Stationary Rs.1.30 per beneficiary per month.
7. Honorarium to cook Rs.200/- per month
8. Honorarium to Helper Rs.100/- per month.
Cooked meal at lunch hour is provided to all the student enrolled in class I to V excepting schools located in urban areas, where dry ration is given @ 3 kgs of rice per student per month having 80% of attendance of the student in previous month. This is being provided since 1.7.2001 in accordance with the revised guidelines issued by Government of Orissa. Distribution is being made twice a month i.e. once in every fortnight.
During the current year 2001-2002, the Government of India have allotted Qtl. 25,601.76 of rice for the coverage of 1,06,674 students in 240 school days. The percentage of monthly coverage of students is 70% to 75%.
AN ANALYSIS
The data on enrolment available for last ten years is given below, on the basis of which some observations have been made.
|
Year |
Class I |
Class II |
Class III |
Class IV |
Class V |
Total |
SC |
ST |
Girls |
|
1991-1992
|
15,449 |
14,649 |
15,763 |
9,512 |
6,579 |
61,952 |
12,483 |
31,573 |
24,388 |
|
1992-1993
|
16,263 |
15,420 |
16,593 |
10,013 |
6,926 |
65,215 |
13,165 |
33,051 |
25,669 |
|
1993-1994
|
17,199 |
16,232 |
17,467 |
10,540 |
7,291 |
68,729 |
13,833 |
34,987 |
27,018 |
|
1994-1995
|
18,217 |
17,043 |
18,340 |
11,367 |
7,655 |
72,622 |
14,621 |
37,024 |
28,584 |
|
1995-1996
|
21,820 |
16,835 |
17,088 |
12,251 |
8,646 |
76,640 |
15,559 |
39,358 |
29,926 |
|
1996-1997
|
17,640 |
19,973 |
16,363 |
11,990 |
8,056 |
74,022 |
14,561 |
38,041 |
31,165 |
|
1997-1998
|
20,376 |
18,417 |
22,167 |
13,744 |
9,187 |
83,891 |
16,206 |
45,361 |
34,516 |
|
1998-1999
|
24,888 |
19,916 |
20,491 |
17,120 |
11,191 |
93,606 |
18,242 |
51,199 |
39,265 |
|
1999-2000
|
26,025 |
22,850 |
21,133 |
17,281 |
13,877 |
101,166 |
20,154 |
56,817 |
43,574 |
|
2000-2001
|
26,070 |
25,231 |
22,534 |
17,121 |
14,100 |
105,056 |
20,896 |
59,894 |
46,379 |
| Growth rate for nine years |
69
|
72
|
43
|
80
|
114
|
70
|
67
|
90
|
90 |
The mid-day-meal program was started in the year 1995-96. The analysis of the above data shows the following facts :
(i) The number of students enrolled in class-I during 1994-95 is 18217. During 1995 96, there was a very high increase by 20% in the enrolment in class-I, whereas for the total students the rise was only by 6% for the same year. It shows that a large number of students had remained un-enrolled in the previous years and because of the mid-day-meal program, a sharp rise of 20% in class-I is seen. This can also be seen from the graph on trend of enrolment for class-I children.
(ii) Because of high enrolment in class-I during 1995-96 and continuation of mid-day-meal program, there is seen tremendous improvement in the enrolment position in different classes during subsequent years. During 1996-97, there was 19% improvement in the enrolment in class-II, when compared to its previous year. The improvement in class-III during 1997-98 was 35%. The improvement in class-IV during 1998-99 was 25%. The improvement in class-V during 1999-2000 is 24%. This has been possible because of less dropout and more retention in subsequent years, as the rise in growth rate for these classes is more, than due the intake in class I during 1995-96.
(iii) An analysis of
the position of total student enrolled before the mid-day-meal program
and after its introduction is given below:
|
Category |
Average children enrolled during the period 1991-92 to 1994-95 | Average children enrolled during the period 1995-96 to 2000-01 | Rise in enrolment |
|
Class I |
16782 |
22803 |
36% |
|
Class II |
15836 |
20537 |
30% |
|
Class III |
17041 |
19963 |
17% |
|
Class IV |
10358 |
14918 |
44% |
|
Class V |
7113 |
10843 |
52% |
|
Total children in all classes |
67146 |
89090 |
33% |
|
S.C. |
13526 |
17603 |
30% |
|
S.T. |
34159 |
48445 |
42% |
|
Girls |
26415 |
37471 |
42% |
The rise in enrolment can be considered significant in a mean period of 5 years, while the decadal population growth rate is only15.27%. The average number of students enrolled in class-I after the starting of mid-day-meal program has increased by 36% when compared to the period before the mid-day-meal program. The greatest impact has been on the S.T. and girls’ enrolment position. The growth rate in enrolment for the girls and S.T. children is much higher than the rise for the total students. Similarly, the increase by 52% for the class V students proves better retention, less dropout and more success in terms of completing class V education. The difference in the improvement for class III (17%) and class IV (44%) can be explained by the facts that there were more drop outs after class III earlier, which showed significant improvement for the children in class IV and class V after the introduction of MDM.
(iv) If we analyze the
average annual growth rate, it is more in the period since the starting
of mid-day-meal program.
| Category | Before mid-day-meal program | After mid-day-meal program |
|
Class I |
6 |
4 |
|
Class II |
5 |
10 |
|
Class III |
5 |
6 |
|
Class IV |
7 |
8 |
|
Class V |
5 |
13 |
|
S C |
6 |
7 |
|
S T |
6 |
10 |
|
Girls |
10 |
11 |
Obviously, after the mid-day-meal program, the annual growth rate has been more than in the previous period. This decrease in the growth rate as far as class I is concerned, can be explained by the fact that more number of children got admitted soon after the introduction of the MDM program. There would be a normal tendency for such growth rate in enrolment to decline to match the population growth rate.
(v) It can be seen from the various graphs given later, on the number of children studying in class I & V, total students, S.T. students, girls students, SC students that there is distinct division between two periods; one prior to the starting of MDM program and another afterwards. The growth in enrolment is far more rapid than the population. As such, the enrolment improvement is higher than the population growth rate before the starting of the MDM program. Had there been no intervention, the curve should taper down and remain parallel to the population growth subsequently. But significantly, the curve shows an upward trend.
(vi) The following data is on child
tracking. For the different years of admission in class I, the numbers
of students in subsequent years in higher classes have been shown, for
the corresponding year of admission. The percentage of children passing
out class V has increased from 56% for the students admitted during 91-92
in class I to 80% for the students admitted in class I during 96-97. Obviously,
retention has increased. The graph on child tracking can be shown, as given
later. It is seen that for the years of admission after the introduction
of mid day meal, the curves show more upward trend, meaning more retention
and success in terms of completing class V examination.
Year of admission in class I |
No of students in Class I |
No of students in Class II |
No of students in Class III |
No of students in Class IV |
No of students in Class V |
% of students passing out class V, against admission in class I, 5 years back |
| 1991-1992 |
15,449 |
15,420 |
17,467 |
11,367 |
8,646 |
55.96479
|
| 1992-1993 |
16,263 |
16,232 |
18,340 |
12,251 |
8,056 |
49.53576
|
| 1993-1994 |
17,199 |
17,043 |
17,088 |
11,990 |
9,187 |
53.4159
|
| 1994-1995 |
18,217 |
16,835 |
16,363 |
13,744 |
11,191 |
61.43163
|
| 1995-1996 |
21,820 |
19,973 |
22,167 |
17,120 |
13,877 |
63.59762
|
| 1996-1997 |
17,640 |
18,417 |
20,491 |
17,281 |
14,100 |
79.93197
|
SUMMARY
During the period of analysis, other measures were taken to improve the retention, dropout, enrolment of girl children and S.T. students. It has not been possible to analyze the impacts of all other interventions on the enrolment position. However, if we analyze the situation before the mid-day-meal program and afterwards, we can find sharp departure from the trends of the pre-mid-day-meal situation. Hence, it can be said that mid-day-meal program has made significant contribution for the improvement in enrolment, retention in various classes, reduction in drop out, helping to get more no. of S.T. and girls children, completing class V in the primary schools.
***************
Bishnupada Sethi, a member of the Indian
Administrative Service, is presently District Magistrate and Collector,
Rayagada ( Orissa, India ).
|
A Document of World Food Programme : India Office [ Press Release 7 March 2001 ] PUT GIRLS IN SCHOOL TO END GLOBAL HUNGER
AND POVERTY,
ROME – The head of the United Nations World
Food Programme has called on the
Catherine Bertini, Executive Director of
WFP, who issued the challenge in advance on
"There is now a critical mass of experience
and evidence proving the value of educating
Bertini, who has made gender equality one
of the policy cornerstones of WFP, noted that of
And yet, girls who go to school marry later
than girls who don’t, and they have fewer and
In his new book, The Third Freedom: Fighting
Hunger in Our Time, the U.S. Ambassador
Moreover, mothers with some education give
their children more enlightened care and
"In school, young girls not only learn
to read and write, they also gain an understanding of
WFP, the world’s largest food aid agency,
has been promoting girls’ education through
WFP, which has been supporting school feeding
programs for more than 30 years,
India is one of the highest contributors
to out of school and illiterate women in South
Under the present Country Programme, WFP
supports early childhood education by
In its future programme which begins from
2003, WFP will support girls' enrolment and
### WFP is the United Nations’ front-line agency
in the fight against global hunger. In 1999,
For photos to accompany this press release,
as well as further details about WFP and
For further details please contact: Dr.
Minnie Mathew, Senior Advocacy Officer,World
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