By Michael Oduor
Taita-Taveta County Government has launched a school-feeding program for over 11,000 learners in Early Childhood Development (ECD) centers across the county with the aim of offering nutritional support for children in the institutions.
The Sh12.5 million feeding program is also intended to cushion learners from poor families against malnutrition which is as a result of adverse effects of Covid-19 pandemic.
Speaking in Mwatate on Monday during the launch of the program, Taita Taveta Governor Granton Samboja said all the 11,892 learners in 315 public ECDs in Voi, Mwatate, Wundanyi and Taveta Sub-counties will benefit from the program.
Samboja added that the programme had been structured in 2019 but got later disrupted by closure of schools following the outbreak of Covid-19.
He stated that the county is trying to reduce the economic burden on parents of feeding learners when they are in school.
“This program is meant to bolster the nutritional needs of our children. It is also meant to cushion parents against the costs of food for learners while at school,” he said.
According to Mr. Paul Waweru, the chair for the Educational Committee in the County Assembly, the feeding program is timely and would run the entire duration of the financial year.
Waweru also asked the Governor to order a salary increment for the ECDE teachers to motivate them to work harder.
“This is a relief for learners and their parents. They can now study in school at peace as they are happier when they are free from hunger,” said Waweru.
On her part, The County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Education Ms. Defence Manga hailed the program pointing out the relationship between good nutrition and good educational performance.
She urged the governor to extend the ECDE feeding program to special schools to accommodate learners with special needs so that they can also feel part of the community as a way to improve the performance of the students with special needs.
“The program can also be a blessing to the learners in our special schools who are not too many. I urge you to extend the program to accommodate these children so that they can feel being part of us,” she said.
