Itahari to serve nourishing lunch in community schools

ITAHARI: Itahari Sub-Metropolitan City has decided to prohibit junk food in community schools.

The sub-metropolis on Tuesday published a tender notice for the preparation and supply of healthy and nourishing lunches for students of community schools under its jurisdiction. The sub-metropolis has specified menus for different days in the tender notice.

As per the menu prepared by the sub-metropolis, students will be served 210 grams of fruits of three different varieties each on Sunday. Similarly, they will be served fried egg (paneer curry for vegetarians) and beaten rice on Monday, mixed beans and beaten rice on Tuesday, rice pudding and curry on Wednesday, yogurt, beaten rice and curry on Thursday, and mutton/chicken curry (paneer curry for vegetarians) and beaten rice on Friday.

Community schools have been serving lunch for students of Class 1-6 to retain students in classrooms and improve the quality of education.

According to the sub-metropolis, Rs 93.20 million will be needed to serve lunch to students of community schools in the current fiscal year. Itahari Mayor Hem Karna Poudel said the federal government will provide a grant of Rs 19.88 million for the school lunch program, while the remaining amount will be borne by the sub-metropolis.

A total of 8,028 students of 50 community schools will benefit, according to Khem Shrestha, of the procurement division of the sub-metropolis.