School Meals and Child Outcomes in Bangladesh

Abstract

Purpose: School meals are a good way to channel vital nourishment to poor children. The study has been tried to demonstrate the concepts of school meals in the globe and derived the eventual scenarios from Bangladesh. Methodology: To comprehend the basis of school meal and the derivation of its consequences in Bangladesh, a descriptive research approach is used here. And this work is mainly based on secondary information. Here, various journals, survey reports, newspapers, research articles etc. were used as a source of data. To demonstrate the results, the collected data were analyzed through a tabular form. Findings: This study shows that school meal us applying as an essential tool to remove children’s hunger for the short-term and improve their long-term nutritional status. This may also lead to improve their health promotion. In Bangladesh, school meals are a high-return investment in human capital and local economies with multiple benefits. Collaborative efforts are required to strengthen the school meal program and achieve intended outcomes in respectively short and long terms. Limitations: The study is based on secondary data only. A need exists, however, for further high-quality studies. Practical Implications: In the paper, empirical evidence suggests that the school meals program play a special role in fulfilling the nutritional requirements of school-going children and establishing children's right to education. In Bangladesh, school meals are treated as an incentive for parents to send their children to school. This may ultimately generate a positive impact on children’s attendance and nutrition. Originality: This study will contribute to reveal the pattern of global school meal. In Bangladesh, the initiative of school meals plays a vital role in reducing the country’s malnutrition rate. The study has suggested the avenue for likewise research in this realm.