Rough start for government's breakfast programme

The education ministry has penalized those responsible for making students eat off the floor.

While the government’s school breakfast programme was launched across the country on Tuesday morning, photos of students seated on the floor to eat breakfast emerged shortly after.

The photos have angered parents, which led to swift action from the ministry.

In a statement, the education ministry “strongly” condemned those responsible for this, and said that action has been taken against them.

The ministry further said that two classrooms had violated the rules of the breakfast programme, and assured parents that all schools will be monitored “to ensure that they compiled with health and safety standards.”

RaajjeMV understands that photos were taken from Aboobakuru School, in Thinadhoo island.

The school’s principal told RaajjeMV that the students have always sat on the floor during interval period, but that they had used “lunch boxes” in the past. She added that the students just sat down in a circle after the breakfast was served, on a tissue paper.

She further noted that “this was not done on purpose” and that they have already taken the steps to ensure that it will not happen again.

The school breakfast programme was launched on Tuesday morning, by Vice President Faisal Naseem.

At the launching event, Education Minister Aishath Ali said that all schools built in the country from now on, “will have cafeterias.”