Food for thought on free school breakfast

I refer to the education ministry’s programme to provide free breakfast to all primary school children beginning next January.

This is a good programme and should be supported. However, there are a number of points that the ministry must take cognizance of.

First, why provide breakfast for all pupils? I believe there are pupils who do not need this. Providing something they do not need is a waste of resources and government allocation.

I think it is better to ask the pupils to exercise their choice. Give them the option to opt out if they do not need the breakfast provided.

At least we can inculcate among students the attitude of being magnanimous and also for their parents to be less “kiasu”.

Malaysians who can afford should rightly provide breakfast for their own children. This is volunteerism and patriotism, too. We should let the government help those who are more in need and deserving.

Second, the breakfast programme must be closely monitored. Based on past experience of similar programmes, I fear that food contractors may take advantage of the programme. I also fear that those in charge may be bribed to look the other way.

This is a good programme, so let’s do it properly and professionally for our children.

Food contractors should be allowed to make a profit, but they should not indulge in profiteering.

Food contractors must ensure quality food is served and they must maintain proper hygiene. Surely, we do not want our children to end up consuming substandard food or having food poisoning.

I urge the ministry to assign inspectors to regularly conduct spot checks to make sure that this programme is carried out professionally.

I am not being negative; I wish very much for this programme to be be a success, unlike many other programmes that were just a “flash in the pan”.

TK Chua is a FMT reader