Education ministry to provide nutritional support to PATH students

THE MINISTRY of Education, Youth and Information (MoEYI) has said it will be providing nutritional support through Nutrition Products Limited to students on the Programme of Advancement Through Health and Education (PATH) for the period that they will be out of school over the next two weeks.

“As part of its Education in Emergencies response plans, the ministry, in collaboration with school leaders, teachers and educational partners, has already provided significant support to enable continued teaching and learning while students are not in school. This support includes the activation of online, virtual, computer-based teaching and learning augmented by traditional radio and TV media,” the ministry said in a release.

It added: “The ministry is also aware that the nutritional needs of the most vulnerable is paramount to their educational success, especially in this period of disruption. As such, under the food support plan, Nutrition Products Limited will prepare snacks comprising baked products, fruit juices, milk and water for students on PATH at the primary and secondary levels. A limited number has been prepared for today [Monday, March 16] while the distribution points are finalised. Principals will be asked to suggest distribution points for schools, which will be utilised over the next two weeks.”

At the same time, the ministry said it is looking at collaborating with selected food suppliers and

‘Under the food support plan, Nutrition Products Limited will prepare snacks comprising baked products, fruit juices, milk and water for students on PATH at the primary and secondary levels.’

supermarkets to distribute food packages at specific drop-off points in each community, noting that the list of PATH beneficiaries would be shared with the suppliers and drop-off schedules arrived at in collaboration with the schools or MoEYI regional offices

“The list of distribution points will be announced via traditional and social media, ... [where] PATH beneficiaries could visit and obtain food supplies to ensure students are fed during the period of school closure. The total number of packages will be limited by the number of households benefiting from the PATH programme.”