Murang’a county administration is currently partnering with a charitable organization to pilot a feeding programme in selected local public primary schools.
Governor Irungu Kang’ata’s administration in partnership with Food4 Education Organization wants to take advantage of pre-existing Uji programme infrastructure for ECDEs centres and offer lunch to primary school going children.
The programme is already being piloted in 55 schools which already serves as kitchen centres for the Uji programme.
Parents of the schools, Kang’ata revealed, had requested support from his administration to get subsidies in providing lunch for their pupils.
The governor, who visited Muthiria Primary school in Kiharu constituency on Friday noted his government has brought forth the charitable organization to help parents feed their children while at school.
In the programme, a parent needs to pay Sh. 20 per day while the organization will top up the remaining amount to ensure a pupil gets a well-balanced meal for lunch.
“The required amount is reasonable for many parents and in the schools, we are piloting the programme, parents have committed to pay the required Sh. 20 per child. The county government will on the other hand assist in providing the needed infrastructure and workers who prepare the food,” said Kang’ata.
He underscored the feeding programme, saying from a survey done by the county department of education, scores of primary school children do take lunch.
“It has not been easy for every child to carry lunch from home. Some parents struggle to prepare food for the children in the morning thus subjecting the learners not to take lunch. This programme will assist as the children will be having a balanced diet during lunch time.” He added.
Kang’ata said the pilot programme will run for two years and if it succeeds, it will be expanded to all public primary schools in the county.
“The pilot programme will run for two years. If it will be cost effective and parents accept, we will roll it to all schools, if it fails. The county will come up with strategies to improve it,” noted the Governor.
He urged the parents to support the programme saying those who are farmers will greatly benefit as they will be delivering food to the schools.
Last year, the county government established a Uji programme where all ECDE children get porridge every day.
The Uji which benefits close to 42, 000 learners, is prepared in 55 Kitchen centres hosted primary schools and distributed to about 400 ECDE centres.
Kahuru Curriculum Support Officer Purity Wangui called upon parents to support the programme saying the provision of lunch will enable the learners to concentrate in their studies.
“When the pupils have no lunch, their academic performance will be distracted and I appeal to the parents to fully support this programme,” added Wangui.
One of the parents, Anne Wairimu hailed the programme saying the needed Sh. 20 is affordable to many parents saying the food being prepared for the learners is of good quality.
“Some of us are delighted by this programme, sometimes our children usually go to school without a packed lunch but with the feeding programme, as parents we feel relieved.” She remarked.
By Bernard Munyao
