The Sunday Mail
More than 1,8 million pupils have been placed under the national schools feeding scheme as Government intensifies efforts to increase nutrition levels and reduce hunger-induced school drop-outs in the lower levels of education.
The development comes as the country is this week set to host the Southern African Development Committee (SADC) School Feeding Network which is expected to be officially opened by Acting President Phelekezela Mphoko.
Zimbabwe is the current chair of the regional network.
There are 4,5 million pupils in both primary and secondary schools countrywide.
Government’s schools feeding programme is part of efforts to ease food shortages following last year’s El-Nino induced drought that has seen an estimated 4 million people requiring food assistance.
The national schools feeding scheme started last May under a budget of $200 million that was expected to cater for vulnerable school children.
Initially, the programme started with 26 districts while in other districts focus was from Early Childhood Development up to Grade 2.
Last week, the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education Dr Lazarus Dokora told The Sunday Mail that nearly two million children in primary school are already under the scheme.
“We have 1,8 million children already under the school feeding scheme and we are expecting the figure to increase as more development partners are coming on board,” said Dr Dokora.
He said the feeding scheme is expected to expand and include all school going children.
“We are expecting to expand the programme so that every child is included. Currently we are dealing with children from ECD up to Grade 2. We hope we will expand to Grades 7 before we include secondary pupils in the near future,” he said.
Government introduced the school feeding scheme after concerns were raised over the increased number of hunger-induced school drop-outs in some parts of the country.
The intervention came in the wake of food shortages in some parts of Masvingo, Manicaland and most parts of Matabeleland with about three million people said to be in need of food aid after the country received erratic rains last season.
The situation is expected to improve this season after the country received good rains. With Government also offering support through Command Agriculture, the country is expected to have a good harvest.
Dr Dokora encouraged parents to work with school authorities in the school feeding scheme to ensure that the food is procured locally.
“Parents must work with schools to ensure that most of the food is locally produced, this can be the vegetables or maize meal; it must be grown within the communities. This is also part of empowerment. In case something is not locally produced, local people must supply,” he said.
He also encouraged local companies to take part in the schools feeding scheme to boost production.
The African Union has already declared 1 March of every year as the African schools feeding day.
The Ministries of Finance and Economic Development; Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare; and that of Primary and Secondary Education are working together to make the program a success.
