Representative image for mid-day meal in school.
Credit: DH File Photo
Shivamogga: School Education and Literacy Minister Madhu Bangarappa said on Sunday that the mid-day meals scheme would be extended to children in pre-primary (LKG & UKG) classes and PU students.
This was aimed at addressing malnutrition and encouraging learning among students, he told a press conference here.
“The children in these classes in both government and aided institutions will also get free notebooks, textbooks, shoes, socks, milk and eggs. This will result in additional expenditure of Rs 200 crore by the government,” the minister said.
Music and physical education teachers would be appointed to all Karnataka public schools and schools to be established in future, Madhu said, adding that school bands would be mandatory henceforth in government institutions.
It was decided at the just-concluded legislature session to appeal against the order of the Supreme Court to make passing of the teacher eligibility test compulsory for even those in service, the minister said.
A government order had also been issued in this regard, he added. Madhu made it clear that there was no shortage of funds for bringing schools under government grant and for recruitment of teachers in government schools.