Breakfast scheme in more schools

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: From Thursday morning, there would not be a single student who would not be treated to a sumptuous breakfast in his school before he begins his classes. ‘Unarvu’ scheme, which was launched by the previous Council to providebreakfast to students in government schools in the city, would be extended to the 22 new wards which have been added to the Corporation recently.The inauguration of Unarvu in all schools under the Corporation would be done by Mayor K Chandrika at the Kattaikonam Government UPS at 9 am on Thursday. Which means, nearly 40 schools would get the benefit of the scheme in addition to the existing 97 schools under the breakfast project.According to K S Sheela, Education Standing Committee Chairperson, the spillover funds would be used to provide breakfast to the additional schools. Once the present plan projects get approved, the fund to continue the scheme throughout the academic year would be gained, she said."Once the schools in the new wards, formerly panchayats, get the new scheme, it would lift their spirits. While the fund for the food would be provided by the Corporation, the infrastructure facilities could be set up through sponsors,’’ said Sheela.According to many school authorities, many voluntary organisations have come forward to provide the infrastructure facilities in schools. A school’s development is not the grace of the Corporation anymore, with the sponsors coming up in huge numbers to aid the running of the schools in many places. With the PTA joining hands with organisations to rope in financial assistance like never before, the Corporation need only discharge the minimum duties, school authorities say.Sheela said that the schools in the newly-formed wards would also be brought under the noon meal scheme and the ‘uchakanji’ scheme would be done away with here. The breakfast scheme was launched by the last Council spending more than Rs 3 crore for one academic year. The scheme was well-received by schools and it had also helped to increase the number of students in government schools to some extent.