Mpumalanga learners to benefit from nutrition programme
The MEC for education, Bonakele Majuba, said almost one million learners will receive meals through their schools’ nutrition programmes. This empowers learners and their parents to live healthy lifestyles.
The Mpumalanga Department of Education (DoE) says 924 015 learners will benefit from the National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP) in 2024.
According to the DoE, it has pulled out all the stops to ensure that all deserving learners receive food from the first day of school on Wednesday January 17.
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MEC Bonakele Majuba said, “Nourishing the minds and bodies of our learners through the NSNP remains our priority, and this year, 924 015 learners will benefit from this noble programme. The department has provided the necessary training to school food handlers and has issued letters to contracted service providers for them to render the services without fail. This programme goes beyond providing meals by empowering learners and parents to adopt healthy lifestyles through education and promoting community-driven initiatives like school vegetable gardens.”
Majuba said school governing bodies are urged to seize this opportunity by transforming unused school land into a source of fresh produce while at the same time teaching their learners that soil is a great resource to fight food scarcity and malnutrition.
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“They can do so by cultivating vegetable gardens and orchards to enrich the meals provided, address local food insecurity and empower schools to become beacons of sustainability. Let’s work together to nourish our children’s minds, bodies and communities. It is all in our hands.”
