BHARATPUR, Dec 21: They have neither slippers on their feet nor warm clothes on their bodies in the shivering cold season. Children belonging to the Chepang community are studying at the National Primary School at Jinglau of Kalika Municipality-10 in Chitwan.
Some children come to the school on a hungry stomach. Lately some Chepang children have stopped coming to the school with the suspension of the government-sponsored midday meal program.
Ram Lal Chepang, a teacher of the school, said the Jinglau students have been deprived of access to midday meals for over a month and a half.
Even the school management and local government have not been informed of the suspension of the midday meal program.
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The school’s head teacher Khumraj Bhatta, however, said the school had halted the distribution of midday meals.
"I told the school teachers to ask the children's parents for a midday meal for now. The government-granted money has been deposited in the school's account. I told them that disbursement will be made after observing attendance," the school head teacher said.
On the other hand, teacher Chepang said no parents have the capacity to accommodate mid-day meals for children so there is no option but to smoothly regularize the program.
He claimed that the suspension of the program has a direct bearing on the education of the Chepang children.
Gopal Chepang, a local, commented that the children here have been deprived of midday meals for the past two months. He termed it unfortunate for the school to discontinue the program for which the government provided resources.
Kalika Municipality Ward 10 Chairperson Narjung Praja said a directive was issued to the school management committee and head teacher for smoothly running the midday meal program at the school.
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