ZANIS COPY – Mkushi schools benefit from school feeding program

—More than 70 primary schools in Mkushi district in Central Province are benefiting from the on-going school feeding program organized by the World Food Program (WFP).

Mkushi District Education Board Secretary (DEBS),  Maybin Luulu, told ZANIS that at least 85 schools had been earmarked to benefit from  the WFP feeding program.

Mr Luulu disclosed that the district had so far received a total of 388 tonnes of food stuffs , saying  the WFP would sustain the supply of food for every term of the schools calendar.

He elaborated that this tonnage included 336 tonnes of mealie meal and about 52 tonnes of cow peas.

He explained that the rationale involved in the school feeding program is aimed at complementing the nutritional needs of pupils as well as achieving some reduction of truancy among pupils.

Mr Luulu said the program had so far been well received by parents and children alike, adding that he was hopeful that the food delivery exercise to all the receiving schools would be completed soon.

He said so far, 90 per cent of the targeted schools had been catered for in the delivery exercises.

Mr Luulu mentioned that the program had, however, experienced some hitches in the quest to ensure food access to primary schools that are located in remote parts of the district.

He said owing to bad roads and long distances, most of the schools located in places such as those in Luano valley, could not be reached in good time.

He stated that the distribution had reached nearly 90 per cent of its target, adding that he was confident that schools that had not yet received food stuffs would be catered for soon.

ZANIS / ENDS / CM / EB……….……………DRY.