School feeding programme a success in Chipinge

Chipinge district registers progress in the implementation of the school feeding programme with government delivering over 8 000 metric tonnes of maize and rice after the programme was expanded to feed pupils from early childhood development (ECD) and grade one and two  up to grade four.

Speaking on the sidelines of the Africa Day of School Feeding Commemorations held at Matione Primary School in Chipinge, acting district schools inspector Mr Abson Mapfumo said the programme that first catered for only ECD classes up to grade two was expanded to cater for grades three and four this year with a target to cater for all primary school students in the district by next year.

He said the programme is enjoying overwhelming support from government that delivered over 6 000 metric tonnes of maize and 2 000 metric tines of rice but was quick to propose that the schools and parents should join to make the programme sustainable.

The beneficiaries of the feeding programme were full of praises for the initiative saying it has eliminated hunger challenges that had capacity to affect their performance in class.

This year's Africa Day of School Feeding Commemorations is running under the theme, "Home Grown School Feeding: Investment in Youth and Children for Harnessing Demographic Dividend".