Improved School Feeding Initiative Commences This Week

The Ministry of Education will this week commence its increased nutritional support to the early childhood sector.

The nutrition initiative will be administered by Nutrition Products Limited (NPL), with special emphasis on children whose families are on the Programme of Advancement Through Health and Education (PATH).

Urging communities to organize local feeding programmes, Education Minister, Hon. Rev. Ronald Thwaites, advised that where the communities can deliver cost-effective meals, they should seek audience with the Ministry.

“If you have a programme at your school, or in your community that can provide nutritionally adequate help for your children, please approach us, and let us see how that can be arranged,” the Ministry said while delivering the keynote address at an Early Childhood Commission (ECC) 10^th anniversary parish celebration, held on Friday, September 26, at the Casa Maria Hotel, in St. Mary.

The Minister stressed that a top priority of his Ministry is delivering adequate nutrition to children at the early childhood level, noting that “if we are intent on getting it right the first time, then we must ensure that there is adequate nutrition for our children.

“Studies have shown that this is the stage in a person’s life that they need adequate nutrition for the development of the brain and mental capacity,” he told the audience.

In underscoring the importance of nutrition for children, the Minister said if a child is hungry they are unable learn, and this is a situation that the Ministry was compelled to address.

Minister Thwaites informed that the improved nutritional programme will involve more use of local vegetables and other agricultural produce by NPL, or by the school canteens.