Indian families skip free school meals to pursue private education options
New research from Lancaster University and IIT Kanpur reveals that children in India's poorest households may miss out on the Mid-day Meal Scheme because parents prefer private schooling.
Study examines school feeding program limits
The study investigates the world's largest school feeding program, which provides free cooked meals to approximately 118 million children. Researchers found that the scheme's ability to support families depends on factors beyond nutrition and attendance alone. These factors include perceptions of school quality and the social meanings attached to receiving free food.
Parents choose private schools over government aid
Families in some of India's poorest regions may forgo the meals because the scheme is only available in government and government-aided schools. The research indicates that household decisions are bound up with aspirations for their children's futures rather than just immediate hunger needs. Consequently, the program must be reframed to address these broader social and economic considerations.
Reported by one outlet
Only one outlet has published this. Nothing here has been checked against a second report, so read it as that outlet's account and follow the link below for the original.
Reported by
1 independent outlet. Headline as published. Links open the original report.