School midday meal programme halted in most provinces

By Saman Indrajith

Education Minister Susil Premajayantha admitted in Parliament yesterday that the provision of midday meals to schoolchildren had come to a halt in all provinces, except in the Western Province for want of funds.

Responding to a question raised by JVP-led NPP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake, the Minister said that there had emerged a crisis with regard to providing midday meals to schoolchildren in many provinces. “In the Southern Province, payments have not been made to the suppliers, since February. A sum of Rs 16 million had been allocated for the provincial councils from the Budget, for the purpose. The due payments, as at February, were Rs 61 million. All arrears up to the end of 2021 were paid. The financial requirements for all the provinces, as at the end of February were Rs 87.5 million. We intend to settle these dues using the World Bank aid funds. Thereafter the programme of providing midday meals to children can resume,” the Minister said.

The Minister said that the World Bank funds would be made use of to pay Rs 87.5 million to the food suppliers for their supplies.