The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) announced yesterday that it is planning to provide nutritious daily meals in school to 341,000 children during the 2009-2010 school years in Sierra Leone. The school meals programme is the largest WFP-assisted activity in the country and will be implemented in 1,300 primary schools across eight districts and the Western Area. The Anti Corruption Commission (ACC), the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports and WFP stressed that all children attending WFP- assisted Primary Schools should receive a ready-made hot meal every school day. The meal should consist of more that half a cup of cereals and beans that are cooked with vegetable oil and salt. WFP food is free but schools can ask parents to pay up to Le 200 per day for condiments – the maximum amount set by the ministry. WFP will conduct a campaign in collaboration with the ACC and the ministry to increase children’s awareness about their food entitlements, which is all part of WFP’s general efforts to ensure that food assistance reaches its intended beneficiaries. WFP also plans to support education by providing food for 16,000 trainees in almost 80 skills training institutions. WFP –assisted meals will be provided on each training day and will comprise of more than one cup of cereals and beans cooked with vegetable oil.
By Emmanuella Kallon
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