SEVEN schools have been running a pilot programme of providing free breakfast for the past two months, said Education Minister Maszlee Malik.

The schools are a mix of national, vernacular and Orang Asli schools in four states, he told Dewan Rakyat today.

This pilot run will set the tone for the programme’s implementation in more schools across the country, he said.

The free breakfast programme is to benefit almost 2.7 million students and will cost between RM800 million and RM1.67 billion for 200 school days a year.

Citing the National Health and Morbidity Survey, Maszlee said about 70% of school children tend to skip breakfast in the morning.

The breakfast menu will be based on guidelines from the Health Ministry to ensure students have a nutritious diet.

“Teachers will have their meals with the students. The session will also be used to educate students on table manners and recycling leftovers.

“This will cultivate the sense of harmony as the students will eat together without race, class and economy barriers,” he said, adding that the move is essential as civic education.

On questions on how would the ministry handle incidents related to food poisoning, Maszlee said the current meal plan programme and pilot run could be used as a guide on how to avoid such problems. – October 9, 2019.