MP Mohammed Ali’s reassurance to parents in Nyali subcounty comes as a relief amidst anxiety caused by the National Treasury’s withdrawal of funds for the school feeding program.
Ali assured parents that his special feeding program will continue uninterrupted, providing a sense of security for families in the area. This commitment underscores the importance of ensuring children receive adequate nutrition, especially in the face of broader financial challenges affecting educational initiatives nationwide.
“I was the pioneer of the programme in Nyali. Our children will continue eating in school. Parents should not worry. In Nyali, we will go on with the feeding programme,” Ali told the Star on phone on Thursday.
The National Treasury’s proposal to scrap the school feeding program, which costs approximately Sh4.9 billion, has sparked concern among MPs and parents nationwide. Basic Education PS Belio Kipsang has urged MPs to allocate funds for the program, warning that over 4.5 million learners could be at risk of dropping out without it. The feeding program was initially implemented to alleviate the financial burden on parents, improve student retention rates, and enhance their overall health.
In response to these developments, MP Mohammed Ali reassured parents in Nyali constituency that the special feeding program in their area would continue uninterrupted. He highlighted the positive impact of the program, noting increased school enrollment and improved retention rates. The program, which began in 2021, benefits approximately 20,000 learners in public primary schools in Nyali constituency.
Initially, parents were required to pay a nominal fee of Sh15 per day for their children’s lunch at school, significantly lower than the cost of purchasing meals from eateries. However, concerns arose about the time wasted by learners returning late for afternoon lessons.
Following a successful pilot at Khadija Primary School, the program expanded to all public primary schools in the subcounty.
Collaborating organizations, impressed by the initiative, sought to partner with the Nyali NG-CDF to support the program. Food4Education, an NGO with a similar feeding program, joined forces with the Mombasa county government and the Nyali NG-CDF to augment the initiative.
Governor Abdulswamad Nassir and Food4Education’s CEO, Wawira Njeru, launched the program in November 2022, establishing a Sh100 million kitchen at the Pwani School for the Mentally Handicapped. This kitchen, the largest of its kind, serves Nyali and Kisauni subcounties.
Nassir pledged to subsidize the lunch fee, reducing it to Sh10 per day for parents. Njeru emphasized the importance of government partnerships with organizations to ensure children receive adequate nutrition in schools, echoing the sentiments of stakeholders committed to supporting education and child welfare initiatives.
“It is important for children to have access to meals. We would like to take the project to all sub-counties across the 47 counties. Therefore there is a need for government to come in and help because we do not have the ability to feed children in the whole country,” she said.
“The national and county governments should work with partners so that more children get food.”
