Teachers at Mwambiu Mixed Secondary School in Kitui County have introduced a structured common lunch programme aimed at strengthening unity, cooperation, teamwork, and staff welfare within the institution.
According to the newly released rules and regulations guiding the programme, participation will be voluntary and open to all teachers willing to comply with the agreed guidelines. The initiative seeks to ensure smooth meal planning, shared responsibilities, and improved staff interaction during working hours.
Under the programme, participating teachers will be assigned specific cooking days through a duty rota arrangement. The rota will reportedly follow teachers’ code sequence in descending order to ensure fairness and equal participation among members.
The regulations further require members wishing to withdraw from the programme to clear pending contributions and notify the Head of Institution before the next budget cycle is prepared.
To ensure accountability, members are expected to remit their contributions on time and provide food items in the agreed quantities.
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Meals are also expected to be prepared hygienically and served on schedule, with teachers on duty responsible for maintaining cleanliness in the cooking area and surrounding environment.
Morning tea is expected to be ready before 8:00 a.m., while lunch should be served before 1:20 p.m. to avoid disruption of school programmes. Members have also been urged to avoid wastage and strictly adhere to the approved budget during food preparation.
The programme has established clear procedures for duty exchange, absenteeism, hygiene and disciplinary measures for repeated failure to fulfill assigned responsibilities without valid reasons.
In addition, members seeking amendments to the rules will be required to table their proposals during staff meetings, where changes can only take effect after approval by the majority of participants.
A budget estimate attached to the programme outlines common food items including maize flour, Muthokoi, Nzuu, milk, cooking oil, vegetables and tea leaves, bringing the estimated total meal preparation cost to Ksh 1,205.
The initiative reflects growing efforts by teachers in various institutions to create welfare-based programmes that promote teamwork, reduce individual meal preparation burdens and improve workplace relations.
By Benard Kithaka
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