Midday meals at home to ensure balanced diet to students; DSEJ

Jammu: Directorate of School Education Jammu (DSEJ) Anuradha Gupta Sunday said midday meals to elementary classes is one of the several initiatives taken by the department to ensure good health of students by way of providing them a balanced diet in their homes.
The Director said the department is ensuring availability of quality food to students of government schools during COVID-19 lockdown. She said as it is not possible to provide cooked meals to children during this period, so dry ration is provided to them with the help of different agencies at their homes. At least two months dry ration and cost of cooking is being provided to them, she added.
Giving details the Director said midday meal is provided to 486257 students in 11977 schools in Jammu division and currently the same is distributed among them with the collaboration of Panchayati Raj Institutions. Till date 91% of dry ration has been distributed among students and 100% target will be achieved in few days. Further, she said Rs 15 crore of cooking cost has been deposited into the students or their parents’ accounts.
Talking about other initiatives taken by the directorate of school education Jammu during the closure of schools, the Director said the directorate launched a Tele counselling helpline under the name of Aao Baat Karein from February 19. She said the helpline is receiving around 35-40 calls daily from students of both government and private schools and also their parents. The students and their parents are counselled with regards to anxiety, psychological, academic and others issues arising due to COVID-19 pandemic.
The Director said the department has taken initiative of Home–classes for 1st to 12th standards as per the academic calendar. She said on the departmental website Schedujammu.nic.in all relevant material are available for all classes as per their syllabus. Besides, DD Kashir, Radio FM Radio Mirchi, local cable channels of Poonch, Ramban and Jammu and Take 1 channel also telecast the class lectures.
She said as per directions of Principal Secretary Education Dr Asgar Hassan Samoon, control rooms have been established at all CEO offices where experts are available to help students. In addition to it, volunteers are also available at Deputy Commissioner offices and Rural development departments for any type of help or assistance to students, she added.