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Gwanda councillors want govt to provide mealie meal for school feeding prog

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 saidย the district did not receive adequate rainย hence appealing for the government to assist with mealie meal.

โ€œWe appreciate that the government is helping in schools under the schools feeding program, but Iย 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,ย but they also don’t have anything,โ€ said Cllr Nkala.

โ€œThey 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 socialย welfare programsย so that they can benefit.

โ€œAs 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?โ€ said the councillor.

Meanwhile, Ward 2 councillor, Zwelibanzi Mpofu saidย some schools are supplied with expired foodstuffs.

Gwanda Rural District Council, Chief Executive Officer, Ranganai Sibanda said โ€œWhen we started this schools feeding program, the government was providing the foodstuffs, helping,ย 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 willย sustain the program.โ€

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.

โ€œMaybe 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,โ€ said Sibanda.

Senzeni Ncube

Senzeni Ncube is an accomplished journalist based in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, with seven years of experience in hard news, investigative writing, fact-checking, and a keen focus on social development, mining, elections, and climate change. She has extensive expertise in reporting community service delivery issues, demonstrating a deep understanding of politics, human rights, gender equality, corruption, and healthcare. Additionally, she possesses proficiency in video production and editing and is dedicated to providing high-quality journalism that highlights crucial social matters and amplifies the voices of the community. Senzeni is known for her thought-provoking interviewing skills.

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