Impact of mid day meal programme on school participation, nutritional ststus and educational attainments

Abstract

Education is one of the important elements of the societal fabric of a country. With an average literacy rate of 80 percent, the developing countries still lag behind on this crucial parameter. The common denominator for low literacy rates in developing countries is the prevalence of poverty. Due to poverty, one-third of school children are malnourished in developing countries. Malnourished children are underdeveloped both physically and cognitively, which makes schooling difficult for them. To mitigate the impacts of poverty and improve school participation among these children, various interventions have been introduced across the globe. School participation includes enrolment, attendance, and retention of the beneficiary children. The provision of free school meals is the most popular and widely followed intervention for improving school participation. School meals help to subsidise school costs and mitigate classroom hunger. These two factors are the two basic reasons for low attendance and learning in schools. However, the impact of school meals on the improvement of primary education and nutritional status is still debated. This research x study will examine the role of the Mid Day Meal (MDM) programme in improving primary education and nutritional status in India.