Mid-day meal at rural school

A unique and commendable project in a primary school in a remote area of Madhupur has caught the attention of the public. This school, set up in 2008 by 17 day labourers grew in size after having received government attention. On Wednesday, it launched a free lunch program for all of its 228 students under the government's feeding programme for students.
The Uttar Aronkhola Non-Government Primary School has been surviving on the savings of its founders who are primarily rubber garden labourers and rickshaw pullers. The school was already providing study materials for its students at no cost.
The local administration contributes in the lunch project but states that in order to endure, more contributions are needed.
Donations have poured in from a businessman, and several organizations which have donated school uniforms and funds. Some of the teachers are also teaching on a voluntary basis.
The fact that mid-day meals and school supplies are provided by the school are an incentive in reducing the drop-out rate among students. These students, who hail from poverty-stricken families, do not have to leave school in order to join the work force since a meal and school supplies are provided. This should now be replicated.
We are hopeful that more and more people in the rural areas, with the help of private citizens and government and private organizations get together and work towards a common goal. Placing education as a primary goal and taking the example of this one school, milestones could be achieved in the field of primary education in Bangladesh and in the eventual eradication of poverty.
We highly commend and thank the Uttar Aronkhola Non-Government Public School in its unique endeavors and wish it continual success.