BHOJPUR: With an aim to raise the daily attendance of students in Bhojpur, free midday meal will be served to students at a school in Bhojpur district.

Sanjay Kumar Ghimire, Principal of Arun Secondary school located in Shadananda, while talking about a new initiative of the school said, the scheme will be applicable to all students enrolled up to grade three.

Although the government had announced mid-day meal plans in its policies and programmes for this fiscal aimed at students' attendance in community schools, the implementation of the same was still at large. As such, the school decided to introduce the scheme on its own to address the issue.

Students' enrollment had been declining in community schools in the recent past. For instance, Arun secondary school holds classes from nursery till 12th grade, with a student strength of about 600 in total, where many choose to stay absent.

School management committee officials say mid-day meal programme aims to attract students towards the government schools and the to restore parents' confidence in these schools.