Minister of General Education David Mabumba says the government is implementing measures aimed at enhancing access to education for all children in the country.
Mr. Mabumba said the school feeding programme is one effective way that has been done to ensure an increased enrolment number for children in schools, especially those coming from vulnerable families.
He told ZANIS in an interview today that despite being a home grown solution, the school feeding programme is costly to manage.
The General Education Minister underscored that his ministry is advocating for production unit in all the schools that will see the growing of beans, sweat potatoes and vegetables by the schools.
He cited the “Keeping Girls in School programme” as one of the strategies being used to improve access to education by all.
Mr Mabumba underscored that 16,000 girls are currently being supported in different districts under the Keep Girls in School Programme.
And Kanjara Ward Councilor William Phiri has called on parents in his ward to refrain from marrying off girls early, at the expense of sending them to school.
Mr Phiri said he has joined other stakeholders in sensitizing the community on the dangers of early marriages and pregnancies.
He disclosed that he is personally supporting 45 pupils in his ward, in order to supplement government’s efforts towards enhancing access to education.
During the official opening of the Twelfth National Assembly today President Edgar Lungu said government is implementing several equity programmes that strive to include vulnerable learners.
President Lungu cited the home grown school feeding programme being implemented in 2,618 schools in 39 districts across the country as one of the programmes that increased attendance and retention of learners.
Who’s got details about this feeding strategy? Would be interesting to have a read. Kudala there used to be that sort of thing… then it progressed to paying something from ma parents before everything just went up with a typhoon…