The nutrition grogram of the government to provide meals to school children is implemented covering 100 education zones in all provinces in the island and 32 billion rupees budgetary allocations have been reserved for the year 2025 for this program. At the moment 1.4 million student population learning in 8,943 schools receive the benefit of this school nutrition program.
The Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education with the intention of providing a healthy and active generation of children to the nation implements the program of providing free meals to school children annually in view of creating a beneficial citizen to the country through minimizing the nutritional issues of school children, promoting better food habits and health habits and building an indigenous food culture.
There are several criteria in selecting schools for this school nutrition program that is implemented since the year 2006 as a national program. In the first criterium all the students in schools with less than 100 student population are considered as eligible to provide these meals. But if the school is approved from the beginning, even though the number of students is more than 100, all the students are provided with food. In the second criterium all the students in primary classes from grade 1 to 5 in all schools are considered as eligible. The third criterium indicates that all students in special education units or special education schools are qualified to receive benefits of this food program. The third criterium says that the lay students in selected Pirivenas and priest students as required are included in this program. It is mentioned in the fifth criterium that the students in grades 6 to 13 are also included in this program depending on the nutritional condition and the necessity.
Within the first hour after commencing school that is between 7.30 am and 8.30 am the food is provided and Rs. 110/- has been allocated for one daily meal of a student. According to the new circular No. 14/2025 dated 01.04.2025 the Ministry of Education has taken steps to provide a nutritious breakfast sufficiently within the school which is mostly neglected in the modern busy life style, to the students in all schools in the island without any discrimination including the reputed schools.
Accordingly, with the aim of providing a more nutritious meal to the students, on the request made by the Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, the allocation reserved for this program was doubled in comparison to the last year allocation and this program is implemented through the direction of Teachers, Principals, Teacher Advisors and Zonal and Divisional Directors of Education and under the supervision of Public Health Inspectors of the Ministry of Health with the aim of providing a healthy and nutritious meal.
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