Praneeta Prakash 
Pacific Polytech is calling for greater emphasis on student health and nutrition in the proposed Education Bill, arguing that learning outcomes cannot be improved without addressing basic welfare needs.
While making submissions on the Education Bill, Pacific Polytech Chair, Dr Ganesh Chand highlighted nutrition particularly among primary school students as a critical but overlooked issue in the legislation.
So what does free education really mean? Does it mean only tuition? What about book fees? What about school fares? And the other major one that we will be talking about is on the health of students. We are saying that a major problem is nutrition of particularly in primary schools of students.
Dr Chand says that the bill should at least acknowledge responsibility for student health, even if implementation is left as a policy matter.
Who is responsible for that? Should it be funded? It’s a policy matter, but should a reference be made on health and nutrition of students? In some countries, a meal, at least one meal is mandatory as a policy matter in Japan or India or many other places.
Standing Committee on Justice, Law and Human Rights Chair Ratu Rakuita Vakalalabure acknowledged the submission made adding that they will deliberate on the matters highlighted.
