Tirupur school, front-runner in breakfast scheme

COIMBATORE: A government primary school in Tirupur has been offering free breakfast to students for the past one year, even before the state government rolled out the free breakfast scheme.

The Chief Minister’s Breakfast Scheme, introduced at 1,545 government primary schools on July 27 is likely to benefit more than 1.14 lakh students studying in Classes 1 to 5 across the state.

However, students studying in the primary school at Silambagoundanvalasu panchayat union near Vellakovil in Tirupur district have been served breakfast every day since July 15, 2021, on the birth anniversary of former chief minister Kamarajar.

The school meets out expenses through donations and with the contribution of teachers.

The 16 odd students are served with idli, chapati, dosa, poori along with kuruma and mushroom gravy as they come to school in the morning every day.

“The breakfast scheme was started after many students came with empty stomach from their houses. They lacked attention in studies and remained without interest in sports,” said K Prabakar, Headmaster of the school.

The noon meal workers come to work at around 6.30 am and get the breakfast ready for students around 8 45 am. “Twelve years ago, when I took charge, there were just six students in the school. It was with great struggle that we mobilised Rs 35,000 to purchase cooking vessels. The scheme has been successful only because of the support of volunteers and villagers,” he added.