Latest update November 5th, 2024 1:00 AM

Guyana's largest selling daily and New York's most popular weekly

Latest News

School Feeding Prog. encourages increased attendance

Aug 15, 2010 News

– Minister Baksk
The public school feeding programme has warranted a six-month survey, which has been very revealing.  This is according to Minister of Education, Shaik Baksh, who disclosed that the review was undertaken to examine the very extensive programme to ensure that it was on track.
He admitted that there have been some problems, particularly in the acquisition of fresh supplies, a development he attributed to the El Nino weather condition. According to the Minister, the Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL), which is tasked with providing juices to the schools, did have some problems and had to substitute juices on occasions. “This affected the supply to the schools, I must tell you. We have had some problems also in timely transportation arrangements and also storages. This was a problem in some of the schools.”  There have also been some complaints as it relates to leakages, a state of affairs, which has been described as fermentation. But according to the Minister, his Ministry has been assured by the supplier that the juices have a shelf life of six months. “We are convinced about that. We have gotten a written statement about the quality of the juices but we are aware that there have been some leakages, perhaps because of the handling…So we are constantly looking at that.”
However, efforts are already being made to correct the problems by putting measures in place to have improved arrangements within another month or two, the Minister added.
“We are hoping to provide better storage in some of the schools and ensure that our transportation is efficient. We have worked out our scheduling of the supplies of biscuit and juices to the schools.”
The overall review of the feeding programme suggests that all of the schools have reported satisfaction with the programme, which has been of significant benefit to the students, Baksh asserted. The survey, he said, has shown that attendance in the schools has increased. “We have empirical data and all Head Teachers and Teachers are in high praise for the programme.”
However, Baksh noted that the Ministry has not yet been able to deduce whether the programme has had a direct effect on students’ performance. He is optimistic that this will be realised in another few years following longitudinal studies.
Government is expending some $1.2B to facilitate the school feeding programme. Added to this, the Ministry is currently offering a Hot Meal Programme in the Hinterland Regions, which comes under the Fast Track Initiative. “The biscuits and juice is (made available to students at a cost of about) $800M, and $360M is for the hot meal for the Hinterland and we are extending that programme by 26 schools this year in the hinterland areas. We also have a programme with the Cassava Bread, nut butter and Juice programme that is to the tune of $30M and we are expanding that this year also; we are adding on 29 more schools in the Hinterland Regions.”
The feeding programme, the Minister said, is one which is designed to address attendance and performance rate in the quest to achieve an overall improved education system.
Meanwhile, the school uniform programme offered by the Ministry has seen a total of 177,000 students being able to benefit. This programme, according to Baksh, is intended for all Primary and Secondary Schools without exception. “The programme has been going well.  I have visited several of the schools and the parents and teachers have been high in praise of this programme. Over 130,000 vouchers have been issued and we are hoping that within another two weeks, by the end of the month, parents will come up and get their vouchers so that they can purchase school items including uniforms.”
However, in Regions One, Seven, Eight and Nine, the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs is responsible for the actual purchase of materials and the sewing of uniforms. Just over 30,000 Hinterland students are expected to benefit from this programme this year.

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show | September. 30th, 2024

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

October 1st turn off your lights to bring about a change!

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Uncertainty clouds Golden Jaguars’ Head Coach position as Barbados showdown approaches

Uncertainty clouds Golden Jaguars’ Head Coach position as...

Nov 05, 2024

  By Rawle Toney Kaieteur  Sports- With less than two weeks before the Golden Jaguars meet Barbados in back-to-back encounters that could shape their Gold Cup destiny, the Guyana Football...
Read More
Greaves makes history with magnificent 151* to lead Hurricanes to seven-wicket win over Red Force

Greaves makes history with magnificent 151* to...

Nov 05, 2024

Dominica’s Olympic champion Thea LaFond-Gadson awarded nation’s highest honour

Dominica’s Olympic champion Thea LaFond-Gadson...

Nov 05, 2024

Julien Alfred named finalist for World Track Athlete of the Year among elite group of Olympic champions

Julien Alfred named finalist for World Track...

Nov 05, 2024

Junior Sinclair replaces Kevin Sinclair in the CG United Super 50 Cup 2024

Junior Sinclair replaces Kevin Sinclair in the CG...

Nov 05, 2024

Hamilton Green KO Football Championship starts Friday

Hamilton Green KO Football Championship starts...

Nov 05, 2024

Features/Columnists

Publisher’s Note

Freedom of speech is our core value at Kaieteur News. If the letter/e-mail you sent was not published, and you believe that its contents were not libellous, let us know, please contact us by phone or email.

Feel free to send us your comments and/or criticisms.
Contact: 624-6456; 225-8452; 225-8458; 225-8463; 225-8465; 225-8473 or 225-8491.
Or by Email: [email protected] / [email protected]

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]