Parameters of mid-day meal scheme to be rationalised: Sibal

New Delhi, July 30 (ANI): The Central Government is proposing to rationalize the parameters for the Mid-day Meal Scheme, as a step towards further benefiting the children covered under this scheme, according to Union Minister for Human Resource Development (HRD) Kapil Sibal.

Inaugurating the conference of State Education Secretaries and Project Directors being held to review matters related to school education and literacy here today, Sibal said that while the mid-day scheme has been seen, through studies, to improve enrolment of children in school substantially, a rationalization of its parameters is now required.

Sibal called for partnership between the centre and the states towards the goal of delivering education to people.

He pointed out that today there is disconnect between the people and the policy makers and the quicker we realize this, the quicker we will be able to deliver education to the people.

Sibal called for a uniformity of excellence rather than uniformity of education, and said that diversity can be embraced while maintaining quality.

He underlined that he was holding out a hand of friendship to the states, as this is a matter, which is to do with children, and together we must set out towards ensuring that our children march ahead of us.

The HRD Minister said that state governments must prepare plans on how to monitor neighbourhood schools and teachers attendance/teachers absenteeism (an alarming 19 percent at present).

He also pointed out to the states that if the vacancy position for teachers is as high as 50 per cent, as is the case in some states, the national enterprise of education will not work.

The Minister said that in the 11th Plan, the Government would be implementing the Rashtriya Madhyamic Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA), in order to have a critical level of attendance at the secondary school level (at least 75 per cent), so that adequate numbers of students move to college. (ANI)