SCHOOL FEEDING PROGRAMME
 The school feeding programme, whatever its origin and purpose, offers opportunities for direct learning
in health and in socialization. The school lunch makes it possible for each child to have at least one attractive,
nourishing meal each day. Eating is an important (and frequent) event in the child's day, and even the
smallest child likes to plan his meals. Learning that healthful foods are appetizing foods, learning the combina-
tions of foods which are most valuable to health, and forming the habit of eating-a balanced lunch, are per-
manent health assets. Coming to lunch with clean hands, and contributing to the quiet enjoyment and friend-
liness of an unhurried lunch-hour represent practical education of a high standard. Much of the important
business of life is conducted over the dining table.
 The school feeding programme may also stimulate classroom instruction and suggest activities for the
children. Facts about the sources of common foods, their methods of production, transportation, storage,
cooking and serving, become far more palatable when these foods are actually served at lunch in the school.
Planting and caring for a garden are natural results of good teaching in nutrition. The feeding of animals
takes on a new meaning. In some instances it may be possible for the children, under supervision, to plan, pre-
pare and serve school lunches. In schools where no lunch is served, teachers and parents can initiate a group
project by co-operating to make hot lunches available.
 The lunchroom atmosphere should approximate to conditions found in the best public eating places and
homes. The crashing and banging of dishes and trays and the shouting of children above the din is no more
acceptable than the funeral calm imposed by some teachers. Pleasant conversation, attractive surroundings
and sufficient time for eating contribute to emotional and social health as well as to happiness and nutrition.
These ceremonies are "the sauce to meat".

 Purpose of the workshop: Discovering problems and suggesting practical ways of improving school
feeding programmes.
 Here are some suggestions relating to problems in the school feeding programmes in the schools and com-
munities represented at the workshop:
1. Delay in the distribution of milk supply-affects mainly the small schools in rural and urban areas.
 Distribution of 6 months supplies to each school at a time would save cost and prevent this delay.
 2. Preparation of the mid-morning snack-senior pupils who are usually made to do the preparation,
 often without supervision, miss lessons; voluntary help should be encouraged through parent-teacher
 associations.
 3. Serving of milk is handicapped by lack of utensils-local drives should be made to provide cups and pails
 and ladles.
 4. Storage and preparation facilities are absent-in new school buildings special rooms should be set
 aside for use as milk rooms and lunch rooms.
 5. Midday meals-should be better planned from a nutritional point of view.
 6. Handwashlng facilities-should be provided in every school.
 7. Seating accommodation-should be provided both for the mid-morning snacks and the midday meals.
 8. Lunch programmes in rural areas-should be organized as a community effort and not as a dole from
 government.
 Contribution in kind and in labour should be encouraged.
 9. Preparation of meals on the school premises-considered to be more advantageous than distribution.
 The co-operation of the parents could be enlisted more easily.
10. A survey of the preparation and distribution of lunches is recommended with a view to reorganizing the
 feeding programme.
11. Monthly returns-should be revised so as to give more relevant data.
12. Checking on weight and height and general development of children who benefit from the feeding pro-
 grammes should be done once each term.