By Tovin Ngombe-:
Most Children in Zambia go to School on an empty stomach said Sinazongwe District Commissioner (DC).
Speaking at the celebration of the UN World Food Programme (WFP) in Sinazongwe Laiven Apuleni told the gathering that many parents fail to enroll their children and force them to look for food.
Apuleni noted that Sinazongwe people have joined thousands of their fellow citizens to demand for an end to the unnecessary suffering of children.
The celebration whose theme was Fight Hunger, walk the world has one goal of ending hunger by 2015.
The DC said the UN WFP together with Ministry of education was providing School meals to over 185,000 children in over 600 community and basic Schools around Zambia.
He disclosed that the WFP was currently feeding 22, 592 School going children across Sinazongwe District.
WFP launched a pilot School Feeding Programme in Zambia in July 2003 to increase enrolment, access to education in drought prone areas such as Sinazongwe, and food insecure areas.
It also provides children with hot porridge of fortified Corn-Soya blend, sugar and oil.
However, the DC urged the Schools that donor funding has a life span adding that it was prudent for them to start having gardens in their backyard to prepare for a time when the programmes would end.
Apuleni said parents should start having gardens at each place where there was a borehole to encourage children to be better citizens in future.
“If parents are lazy then they will set a bad example to their children, this scenario of failing to cultivate should end,†the DC said.
Sinazongwe District Education Board Secretary (DEBS) Elijah Sikuvwaza disclosed that WFP has increased children’s enrolment to 23353 for regular Schools and 6671 for Community Schools.
Sikuvwaza said the School feeding programme was not only meant to increase enrolments but also to improve the nutrition of children.
He said the district has a number of programmes running in Schools such as the Save the Children, Bilharzia control, and Change to School Feeding Programme.
The DEBS thanked the organizations such as ZAMBEEFF, Chipaila Stores, Ziba Zako, Kwa Gondwe Guest house, and all Schools in Maamba for the support rendered.
He said the celebration was the first of its kind since the School Feeding programme was instituted in the district
Yes, I taught in some of the schols in both in Southern and Lusaka ditricts. Children’s performance is largely affected because of starvation at home.My worry is how long will that program last and there so many kids all over Zambia in this situation? The ministry of educationa and community development should really plan together to mitigate the social problems that are beseting Zambia.
Thanx Kelvin to be one of the few Zambians to comment on realistic issues affecting our children.Its true donor funds have a life span and we need to find a lasting solution to a problem like this(hunger in schools).Its easier for our citizens to comment on FTJ and the London court judgement when we could make a difference in one childs life if we choose(but dont).It should not be the “goverment”all the time to look into issues of this nature always.Let us not always be professional spectators.
Thankyou Jinx also for your valued contributions. One only wishes that some in Govt can keep track of this issues. Politicing and poverty reduction can never work togther. We need action and problem solving leaders.
How can we educate our future when the kids are starving while LPM is enjoying a 3 course meal prepared by proffessional chefs?
Kelvin come back and sort out the mess ,your valued experience abroad is what Zambia needs today not the Kaponya Ministers like Mulyata and Daka.Mulyata being the Southern province Minister was not even there to grace the occassion , Iam sure he was busy sorting Sky FM.He is such a nuisance.