Secunderabad: Tiffin boxes back to school

Secunderabad: Even though the mid-day meal scheme (MDM) is back in force following the reopening of schools beginning this month, parents are preferring to provide home food to their wards owing to COVID pandemic.

The parents of students of government schools have been sending their wards with lunch boxes, fearing that the managements are not adequately geared up to ensure strict adherence to the Covid protocols. "Since many people come into contact during cooking and distribution of food, there remains a question of hygiene hence we prefer home cooked food," said M Karnakar, father of a class 9 student in Secunderabad.

At one of the schools, students of Class X said that they were bringing their own lunches as their parents were apprehensive about the coronavirus. They thought it was not safe to eat outside food. "Earlier I used to have the food provided by the school, but now I am bringing tiffin box. My mother has also instructed me to avoid sharing with my friends," said a class X student, on condition of anonymity.

Speaking to The Hans India, N Ram Reddy, Headmaster of Zila Parishad High School, Bachupally, said the school has been putting in efforts to assure the parents that the management has been following covid-19 protocols. "Parents remain cautious even now about covid-19. So, they want to be extra careful over food, a few students come with their own lunch. The overall attendance on day six was 65 percent, of which, 45 per cent brought their own lunch." He further said that despite a few students bringing their own lunch, the number of students eating Mid-Day Meal has been increasing day by day.