Learners in primary and secondary schools have a reason to smile after the Tinderet Constituency Member of Parliament (MP) Julius Melly who also doubles as the chairman of the National Assembly Education Committee called for the reinstatement of the school feeding programme which was abolished by the National Treasury in the 2024/2025 financial year estimates.
The MP, while appearing before the Budget and Appropriations Committee on Monday, May 27, 2024 announced the reinstatement of KSh2billion under the National Council for Nomadic Education in Kenya (NACONEK) for the school feeding initiative to ensure that the students remain in schools.
“The committee has reinstated the KSh2 billion under the NACONEK for this important programme. However, the amount reduced from the programme was KSh4.9billion. The committee recommends that the Budget and Appropriations Committee consider allocating an additional KSh3 billion so that the entire amount is reinstated,” he said.
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Melly explained that this is a critical intervention which supports the retention of learners in schools in marginalised areas, especially in The Arid and Semi-Arid Land (ASALs) and slums in urban settings.
The move comes a few weeks ago after the National Treasury announced that they will be doing away with the programme for the next financial year a thing which had caused a lot of controversy among the education sector which feared that over 4 million students were going to be affected if the estimates were approved.
By Vostine Ratemo
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