The Cabinet today approved the government’s plan to provide meals to nearly 1.5 crore primary school students in order to increase attendance and reduce the number of dropouts.

The National School Meal Policy 2019 was approved at the Cabinet’s regular meeting held at Prime Ministers Office (PMO) in Dhaka.

Photo: Rejaul Karim Byron

The policy aims to cover at least 30 per cent of the nutritional needs of a child through the school meal programme by 2023, Cabinet Secretary Md Shafiul Alam told reporters after the meeting.

The policy proposes to provide students warm and nutritious meals five days a week and fortified biscuits on one day.

To ensure minimum dietary diversity, meals will be prepared with fortified rice, vegetable oil, locally-grown fresh vegetables and, if possible, with eggs so that students get enough protein and micronutrients, according to the policy.

The menu will be selected in consultation with the schools’ managing committees, parents and locals.

Mothers will also be included in the programme to be overseen by an advisory committee comprising respected locals.