$18 Million to Improve Operations of School Feeding Programme

The activities of the School Feeding Modernisation Programme have been boosted with an allocation of $18.1 million.

This is set out in the 2013/14 Estimates of Expenditure, currently before the House of Representatives.

Being implemented by the Ministry of Education, the programme seeks to improve the operations of the School Feeding Programme by modernising and upgrading its institutional capacity and organisational structure; and informing on ways to improve the nutritional quality and efficiency of its snack component.

Up to February 2013, an institutional assessment of the School Feeding Programme had been conducted; and a Management and Monitoring Information System (MMIS) had been developed with specifications and requirements for database and the decentralising of some management and monitoring functions.

In addition, two studies had been conducted: Independent Operational Assessment of the Feeding Subsidy for students in Programme of Advancement Through Health and Education (PATH) households; and Study and Operation Design to expand targeted School Feeding Programme subsidy to PATH students at the pre-primary level.

Further, a Technical Co-ordinator, Business Management and Institutional Organisation Consultant and Management Information Systems Consultant had been contracted.

For the 2013/14 period, it is anticipated that a web-based MMIS will be developed; the study on ‘Independent Operational Assessment of Feeding Subsidy for students in PATH households (Part 2)’ will be finalised; a draft National School Feeding concept paper will be developed; stakeholder consultations on draft National School Feeding policy will be conducted; and National School Feeding Policy will be developed.

Also, for this fiscal year, it is expected that a study will be conducted to determine the perception of the stakeholders on the nutribun snacks, and a proposal developed for the implementation of a National Breakfast programme; and field trials will be conducted to test proposed monitoring and evaluation procedures, after which a seminar will be hosted to disseminate the findings.

The programme is being funded by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). It was originally slated to run from July 2010 to July 2012. However it has been further extended to conclude in January 2014.

By Aleica Smith-Edwards, JIS Reporter