Hetauda, Nov. 16 -- Schools in Makwanpurgadhi Rural Municipality, Makwanpur, recorded no dropouts for this academic year after the introduction of the mid-day meal programme in the area.

From the current academic year, the rural municipal office has managed mid-day meals for all students in basic schools. There are 3,550 students enrolled at 40 basic schools (up to grade 5) this year.

The government had introduced the programme to encourage students from poverty-stricken families who could not afford a good meal a day to attend schools. The lunch includes porridge with corn or millet flour bread.

Bidur Humagain, chairman at the rural municipality, said that students have been regularly attending schools after the programme was introduc...