Staff Reporter
Preparations for the opening of the third school term on Tuesday are in full swing, with Government announcing a robust allocation of US$15 million and 27,000 tonnes of mealie-meal for the national school feeding program.
This initiative aims to counter the potential adverse effects of the El Niño weather phenomenon and ensure that no student drops out of school due to hunger. The upcoming term is particularly significant for examination classes, as pupils will begin writing their final exams next month.
In an interview with this publication yesterday, Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, Torerai Moyo confirmed that the Government has allocated sufficient resources to sustain the school feeding program until April next year.
"Zimbabwe is a signatory of the Schools’ Meals Coalition, where the Government has made a commitment to provide at least one hot meal a day for every child from Early Childhood Development (ECD) up to sixth form.
"As schools are opening, we have provided 27,000 tonnes of mealie-meal, which will be delivered to all schools starting this week,” Minister Moyo stated.
Minister Moyo highlighted the logistical plans for distributing the mealie-meal from depots to schools, emphasizing the role of the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) in ensuring efficient delivery.
"We have made transportation plans for moving the mealie-meal from the depots to various areas where schools are located. We have also coordinated with school authorities so that schools located near GMB depots can easily access their allocations," he explained.
Minister Moyo revealed that the treasury has released US$15 million towards the school feeding program.
“Government has also allocated US$15 million to support the provision of essential relish items to complement the mealie-meal.
"This amount will be used to procure relish items such as vegetables, kapenta fish, beans, and cooking oil. The funds have been proportionately distributed to the 10 provinces to ensure the procurement of non-carbohydrate food requirements to complement the mealie-meal distributed through the Food Deficit Mitigation Program,” remarked Minister Moyo.
Additionally, Minister Moyo expressed gratitude to President Mnangagwa for prioritizing the welfare of students by funding the procurement of both mealie-meal and relish.
"The thrust of the Government is to ensure there is a school business unit in every school, and we are committed to providing water by drilling boreholes in all schools using the Presidential rigs acquired by the Government," he added.
Furthermore, Minister Moyo also urged local authorities to implement their own initiatives to complement the Government's efforts in feeding learners.
“This will ensure that schools do not only provide teaching and learning services but also cater to the health, nutrition, and welfare of the pupils.
“The Grain Marketing Board (GMB) has been tasked with the responsibility of making mealie-meal available to schools through their local depots. School authorities are expected to coordinate with their respective Schools Development Committees to prepare and provide meals to learners,” he encouraged.
Meanwhile, provincial education directors are working on the logistics of procuring the necessary items, such as beans, dried kapenta, cooking oil, and vegetables. The program is coordinated by the Department of Learner Welfare Special Needs and Psychological Services, ensuring that the nutritional needs of learners are met, especially in remote rural areas and disadvantaged communities.
As the new term begins, Government's comprehensive school feeding program is set to play a crucial role in supporting students, particularly those in examination classes, ensuring that they are well-fed and ready to focus on their studies.
The commitment to providing nutritious meals is a significant step toward fostering an environment where every child can thrive academically and physically, regardless of their geographical or socio-economic background.
