Gwanda Rural District Council (GRDC) councillors have appealed to the government to supply schools with mealie meal for the school feeding program.
The government re-introduced the schools feeding program in schools as part of the efforts to nourish learners and reduce absenteeism due to hunger.
Speaking during a full council meeting held last week, the councillors revealed that schools in the district are only receiving chunks and beans for relish from the government
Ward 1councilor Stanford Nkala said the district did not receive adequate rain hence appealing for the government to assist with mealie meal.
“We appreciate that the government is helping in schools under the schools feeding program, but I have noticed that this year we did not receive adequate rain. I am appealing to the government to also provide schools with mealie meal because now they expect villagers to give schools mealie meal, but they also don’t have anything,” said Cllr Nkala.
“They don’t have mealie meal themselves so for them to supply schools it becomes difficult. Government should also supply mealie meal instead of just beans and chunks only.
Another councillor said schools should be put under social welfare programs so that they can benefit.
“As it is the government is the one providing us with mealie meal, so where do they think villagers will get mealie meal to take to schools when they are the one supplying us? Is it impossible for social welfare to put schools under their programs?” said the councillor.
Meanwhile, Ward 2 councillor, Zwelibanzi Mpofu said some schools are supplied with expired foodstuffs.
Gwanda Rural District Council, Chief Executive Officer, Ranganai Sibanda said “When we started this schools feeding program, the government was providing the foodstuffs, helping, however, with time, the program will be the responsibility of parents and they discussed ways which can be used for schools to get supplies and one of them was for schools to have garden projects which will sustain the program.”
He said the government has tried to assist the parents by drilling boreholes in schools while working with other partners, so schools can do sustainability projects.
On the issue of expired foodstuffs, Sibanda it was a mistake which would be rectified.
“Maybe that is a mistake that happened during transportation, those are accidents, maybe they were rained on during transportation or where they were kept, I am sure that is a mistake that we will have to rectify so that children get proper food,” said Sibanda.
