Mid Day Meal Program

Mid Day Meal is a central government program implemented by ECS in Tuensang District. The idea behind implementing this scheme in partnership with the community is to make the community and the parents aware of the importance of health and education for their children and by providing free food to their children in schools they are encouraged to enroll their students for formal education.

For the past three years, the National Program of Nutritional Support Program- Mid Day Meal Scheme is implemented by ECS across the Tuensang district with the help of the Churches Association, Teachers and the Community in general.

Food and education are two of the most basic areas of concern amidst the poor population of our country. People living with limited means have limited access to food resources and seldom enrol for a formal education. The overall idea behind the scheme is to make the parents aware of the importance of education for their children and by providing free food to their children in schools they are compelled to enrol their students for formal education.

We believe that in the past 3 years, the community has become aware of the scheme to a greater extend compared to all the misconception which the people had earlier. Through our basic survey conducted across the district, there is a 10% increase in school enrolment in the last three years.

So far, ECS has covered 205 schools under the program which is about 80-90% of the existing schools. With the help of teachers, door-to-door visits to sensitize and encourage parents to get their children enrolled in formal schools were done.

In the past, many parents were negligent and could not even provide basic items such as pencils and notebooks for their children. Most times it was the teachers who had to purchase these items from their own pockets for the students. The parents were also highly disinterested and would never encourage their children to study at home or ask them how they were keeping up with their studies. However, in the current scenario 8-10% of parents have been seen to show growing concern for their children’s education. With the current trend of parent’s involvement in the school level, we are hopeful that in the next five years, at least 50% of the parents will actively participate in their children’s education through sensitization drives, PTA meetings, etc.