Teachers, parents and civil society representatives have called for bringing all students under the government’s school feeding programme, saying that nutritious food has increased school attendance, reduced dropout tendencies and improved students’ concentration in classrooms.

They, however, said that food is currently allocated for 90 per cent of students, although attendance at many schools is between 95 and 97 per cent. As a result, schools sometimes have to share food among students.

The observations came during visits to several government primary schools in Keshabpur, Abhaynagar and Jhikargachha upazilas of Jashore, and conversations with teachers, parents and people involved in implementing the programme.

The programme is being implemented by development organisation Shushilan in the three upazilas. Each participating school has a five-member food monitoring committee responsible for overseeing the quality, quantity and distribution of food.

According to the district primary education office, the programme is currently being implemented in 406 government primary schools in the three upazilas — 158 in Keshabpur, 117 in Abhaynagar and 131 in Jhikargachha. A total of 59,091 students receive nutritious food five days a week. The food menu includes boiled eggs, bread, biscuits, bananas and milk.

Sudeb Kumar Debnath, headteacher of Majidpur Government Primary School in Keshabpur, said attendance had increased in every class since the introduction of the programme. “Students suffering from nutritional deficiencies are now getting food at school, and their concentration in classrooms has also improved,” he said.

He added that many students no longer needed to bring food from home at noon. However, schools sometimes had to divide food among students because the allocation did not cover all students.

Nasima Begum, a parent and member of a school food committee in Abhaynagar, said students’ tendency to buy unhealthy food from shops around schools during tiffin time had declined. “Nutritious food reduces their tiredness in the afternoon and helps them remain attentive in class,” she said.

Mohammad Shahinur Rahman, president of the Jashore District Government Primary School Teachers’ Association, said the programme had increased not only attendance but also enrolment. “Parents, particularly those from low-income families, are becoming more interested in sending their children to school,” he said.

Civil society representative Mohammad Nazmul Alam of Jhikargachha said the programme should be continued and expanded across the country to ensure children’s health and quality education. “Food allocation should correspond with actual attendance, and all students should gradually be brought under the programme,” he said.

Shushilan deputy director Shahina Parvin said the organisation was committed to ensuring children’s nutritional security and implementing the government initiative despite adverse weather and difficult transportation conditions. “We have also informed the relevant government authorities about the need to provide food for all students,” she said.

Keshabpur Upazila Primary Education Officer Mohammad Nazrul Islam said three organisations were supplying different food items under the programme. Shushilan supplies bananas, bread and eggs, Akij supplies milk and PRAN supplies biscuits.

He said damaged or spoiled food was adjusted and supplied the following day. As student attendance varies from day to day, schools are also trying to coordinate food distribution with nearby institutions. “This is a pilot programme. Problems identified during implementation will help make the programme more effective and facilitate its expansion in the future,” he said.