Schools in the state are once again fighting for funding to introduce midday meals – arrears have been piling up since December, school officials say.
A school in Kasaragod, which has just over 1,000 students, is expected to pay thousands of rupees from December. With funding from the government, teachers spend ₹4,000 to ₹5,000 a month out of their own pockets to provide mid-day meals to underprivileged students, schools say.
It often involves juggling deposits and late payments to vendors for vegetables, groceries or spices.
Worse, they have to repeatedly apply for funding they might not have at all, teachers say.
They expected to receive the funds at least before the elections. “If the payments are received by February, then we can still manage the funds for one month pending,” the teachers say.
The directors who carry most of the burden of keeping the system afloat say many will leave by the end of March and new directors will take over in June. Only after the posts are filled can retired directors realistically expect to receive any funding for expenses incurred during their service.
School authorities say they have not received any answers from officials of the general education department as to when they can expect to receive the funds. “It is as if the government has washed its hands of us. The continued running of the program cannot be attributed to government support but must be due to the hard work of the teachers who are dedicated to the students,” said the principal, who did not wish to be identified.
The teachers complain that even after the West Asian conflict, the department allowed them to switch to firewood to cook the midday meal, but they were not asked how they would pay for the firewood.
The Kerala State Primary School Principals’ Association has expressed its protest against the delay in sanctioning funds for the mid-day meal scheme.
Published – 17 March 2026 20:24 IST
