Distribution of school milk is back in public primary schools to enhance the concentration capacity of all pupils in academics on equal standards.
The precious milk used to be supplied to primary school pupils during former President Daniel Arap Moi’s era in the 1990’s and this was an incentive that kept the children in school for longer hours and also made them yearn to go to school on a daily basis.
Speaking to KNA from the school Susan Kisilu Mwanzia a primary teacher at Canon Apollo Primary School, Nairobi County explained “yes the school does receive milk from the government but it cannot afford to serve the entire school and that is why the first priority are always kindergarten children mainly from PP1 and PP2 and Grade 1 to Grade 3.
This is because they need more energy at their age and milk is even more nutritious. The rest of the school also understands that these young ones need to be more nourished when in school.
Tabitha Mueni, a parent to a PP1 pupil confirmed to KNA that the programme indeed has been a blessing because the children get to benefit and eat a balanced meal a day. She further confirmed that the programme had increased the number of class attendance for now every parent wants to make sure that his or her child is in school on time.
“When a child comes from school with a smile on his face, as a parent you always feel happy and excited. That is what the milk does to my son, every time he gets home from school the first things he shows me is his milk. Am happy as a parent and I really appreciate the government’s decision to reintroduce Maziwa yetu ya Nyayo”, she said.
School feeding programmes have always been credited for ensuring that every child gets a balanced meal per day, especially those from poor and vulnerable backgrounds who solemnly depend on the school feeding programme for survival.
School milk program to public schools is one of the ways that the government ensures that every child receives a meal per day. It is picking up slowly even during the pandemic and therefore there is a difference between this century’s feeding system unlike the previous century’s during Moi’s reign commonly known as Maziwa ya Nyayo.
By Mercy Ericka
