KATHMANDU: Tokha municipality in Kathmandu is to serve free day meals to its community school students.

Under the ‘mayor day meal program’ students from early childhood development to grade 10 will enjoy the free meal on school days.

The new initiative will cover Jhor Mahankal, Baudeswar, Chandeswari, Dhapasi, Tilingtar, Jalapa and Manohar secondary schools.

These schools have a total of 4,306 students. A budget of Rs. 750 million has been allocated in the current year for the ‘mayor day meal program’, said the municipality’s education department head Baburam Gautam.

The municipality has called for quotation and is going to begin the program from the month of Falgun this year.

Mayor Prakash Adhikari said the program is targeted to increase the attraction of students to community schools. The municipality has also started a campaign of ‘one ward one community school’. There are presently no community schools in ward no. 5, 6, 9 and 11 of the municipality with 11 wards.

The municipality has also introduced an Act, which allows transformation of institutional school to a community school. The municipality also runs a special women alternative school, considering women’s education.

There are 300 students in the Chetana Women’s School in New Bus Park area. It runs training against gender based violence and on quality education. It is also providing free education for the helpless, disabled and financially poor students.

The municipality is now working on an education policy, education plan and local curriculum in order to ensure uniform standard of education in all the schools within the municipality.