Mizoram Schools Struggle to Sustain Midday Meal Program Amid Financial Strains

Mizoram's rural schools are in financial crisis, risking the discontinuation of midday meals for students. Teachers' associations attribute the issue to delays in government funding, exacerbated by new financial management systems. Despite efforts and teachers' contributions, the program's future remains uncertain without urgent funding solutions.

Schools in Mizoram, particularly those in rural areas, are grappling with financial constraints that threaten the continuity of providing midday meals to primary and middle school students, as reported by a teachers' association leader on Monday.

The problem has arisen from funding delays attributed to the government's implementation of the Public Financial Management System (PFMS). The transition has reportedly caused significant bureaucratic hurdles, resulting in months of unpaid material costs and cooks' salaries, according to the Primary School Teachers' Association (MPSTA) and the Mizoram Middle School Teachers' Association (MMSTA).

Efforts to sustain the meal programs have seen teachers invest their personal money, but the associations warn that without funds arriving before the end of the month, services could cease entirely. The state education department, while urging patience, expressed optimism that the situation would soon be resolved following discussions with central officials.

(With inputs from agencies.)