Karnataka Launches Toolkit-Based Innovative Nutrition And Education Programme For Residential Schools

The program is expected to yield measurable improvements in learning outcomes, nutritional status, and health-related behaviours among participating students. Its progress will be tracked through sophisticated data analytics

The Karnataka Residential Educational Institutions Society (KREIS) and Nourishing Schools Foundation (NSF) announced their collaboration to implement a toolkit-based innovative nutrition and education programme across 20 residential schools in the state.

This initiative aims to empower students aged 9-14 years to become change-makers in their communities while improving their health and learning outcomes.

The programme will be implemented in 20 KREIS schools across Kalaburagi and Belagavi districts, reaching thousands of economically and socially underprivileged students. The collaboration includes comprehensive baseline surveys, specialised teacher training, and the implementation of NSF's proven educational toolkit that has already impacted over 95,000 children across five states in India. Highlighting the significance of this collaboration, Dr. H.C. Mahadevappa, Social Welfare Minister, Government of Karnataka, said, "This partnership represents our commitment to holistic student development in our residential schools. By integrating nutrition education within our existing curriculum, we are nurturing future leaders who understand the importance of healthy living and can drive positive change in their communities. The comprehensive surveys and monitoring by teachers will provide insights into our students' nutritional status and learning outcomes. This toolkit-based approach will help us make informed decisions about our nutrition programs and academic interventions."

Archana Sinha, CEO and co-founder of Nourishing Schools Foundation stated, "We are excited to bring this innovative programme to Karnataka's residential schools, where we can make a meaningful difference in the lives of children who need it most. Our methodology combines rigorous teacher training and data collection with practical interventions. We have designed our toolkit and training programs to be teacher-friendly, utilising smartphone-based surveys and digital dashboards that can be easily integrated into daily school activities. This would lead to sustained improvements in both the students' learning outcomes and nutritional behaviours.”