All primary school learners will now benefit from the National Schools Feeding Programme on the back of improved grain and cereal output from summer cropping.

Initially, the programme only targeted 1, 5 million early childhood learners and Grades 1 and 2 pupils, but now includes Grades 3 to 7.  The multi-million-dollar initiative aims to improve nutrition and avert school drop-outs occasioned by hunger.

Primary and Secondary Education Minister Dr Lazarus Dokora told The Sunday Mail, “We have expanded the National Schools Feeding Programme; so every child at primary education level is now being taken care of under the scheme. Every child will be on the scheme by January 2018.  “Ongoing borehole drilling and setting up of drip irrigation schemes at every secondary school will ensure learning institutions will not outsource products used for the programme.”