‘Foreign training on midday meal not khichuri cooking’

The foreign tour of government officials has not been proposed for learning khichuri cooking, rather, it is for gathering knowledge on how other countries implement midday meal programmes in schools, said Akram-al-Hossain, senior secretary to the primary and mass education on Tuesday. 

A very small amount has been sought for this tour and spending on it is not a waste of money, he said while replying to a question from journalists at his office.

"No money has been released yet for the project. The Planning Commission has sought an explanation on some estimated expenses under the project. We will send our answer. After that, the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council will give its final nod to it," the secretary added. 

The ongoing school feeding programme in poverty-prone areas in the country's 104 upazilas will end in December this year. From next year, midday meal will be served among students in the country's all primary schools, he said. 

Some 1,000 government officials will go on tours to the countries like India where midday meal programmes are running, Akram pointed out. 

The Business Standard published a report titled "Cooking khichuri? Let's go on a foreign trip" September 14. 

According to sources at the DPE and the Planning Commission, the Directorate of Primary Education has sought approval to send 1,000 government officials abroad for a "khichuri training" under the primary school feeding programme.