11 Apr 2019

Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development has a menu for all 756 primary schools countrywide that is currently in use, Parliament was told.

Assistant Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Kgotla Autlwetse said the menu was designed such that it suit all children attending government schools.

In this regard, he said there was no special menu designed for students in Boteti East constituency nor would the ministry consider creating a menu for students within the ministry.

Mr Autlwetse said pre-school children had a menu designed specifically for them, adding that the menu was a product of consultative process involving professionals in school feeding issues.

He pointed out that following the introduction of reception classes in some schools in 2014, the school feeding programme was reviewed by a group of stakeholders from University of Botswana, Botswana University of Agriculture and Natural Resources, National Food Technology and Research Centre, Ministry of Health and Wellness, Ministry of Basic Education and Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development.

“These stakeholders are conversant in issues of food and nutrition and aim to align the menu to all age groups attending reception and primary classes,” he said.

Mr Autlwetse further noted that the review of the menu in 2013/14 had contributed immensely as a development, in that it assisted with the closure of existing gaps such as lack of foods providing micro-nutrients.

He said the menu had been developed, finalised and was already in place and that implementation of the menu for reception classes and reviewed primary schools menu were being gradually introduced based on availability of resources.

“This has seen the provision of eggs, fruits, vegetables and lately the introduction of early morning breakfast, which are all signs of gradual implementation of the new menu in our schools feeding programme,” he said.

He was answering MP for Boteti East, Mr Sethomo Lelatisitswe, who had asked the minister if it was true that there was no special menu for students in his constituency.

The legislator had wanted to know whether the ministry would consider creating a menu for pupils within the ministry and also wanted to know if the ministry’s dietician had advised that the menu for older students was also good for pre-school children.

Furthermore, Mr Lelatisitswe asked if there had been developments regarding the menu issue and when the menu for pre-school children could be expected. ENDS