Revive universal stipends for girls

School meals must be nutritious, safe and of high quality, said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman yesterday, stressing that there should be no compromise on food standards.

He was addressing a meeting of the Prime Minister’s Education Assistance Trust at the Prime Minister’s Office in the Secretariat, said Deputy Press Secretary Shahadat Shadhin.

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The meeting reviewed the trust’s activities and its role in reducing student dropouts through financial assistance.

It also discussed the impact of the universal stipend programme for girls introduced during the tenure of former prime minister Khaleda Zia.

Participants said the programme had helped increase girls’ school attendance, keep them in education and discourage child marriage.

Tarique Rahman directed the authorities to assess the feasibility of reintroducing universal stipends for girls from class six to graduation level.

They were asked to prepare a detailed proposal covering the estimated cost, number of beneficiaries, implementation mechanism and expected social and educational impact.

The meeting also discussed merit- and eligibility-based stipends for boys to encourage them to continue their education.  On school meals, officials reviewed the nutritional value of food, programme management and measures to ensure safe preparation and supply.