20 Feb 2024

The shortage of food commodities, stationery and furniture in primary schools across the country has improved.

Assistant Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Mabuse Pule told Parliament on Friday that the situation had improved across the 31 local authorities.

He said there was a shortage of food commodities such as milk, peanut butter, sorghum grains, sorghum meal and Tswana cowpeas.

He noted that milk had since been supplied while Tswana cowpeas and sorghum meal were currently replaced with canned stewed steak and maize meal respectively.

Mr Pule also said the ministry was aware of shortage of stationery in some schools across the country.

On average, he said current supply and distribution was generally satisfactory.

He, however, conceded to a shortage of furniture across the country, saying efforts were being made to bring the situation to an acceptable level in the next financial year.

With regard to the situation at Mogoditshane/Thamaga District, he said one of the contributing factors was enrolment which increased by 3 115 and affected the supply of food commodities, stationery and furniture.

He said the other reason included late supply due to reasons associated with contract management and poor food quality rendering that the supply be recalled.

Mr Pule said price increases for some commodities also necessitated that assessments be undertaken to determine their validity thus causing delays.

He further said they had intensified their monitoring mechanism and that reporting on school readiness would be done on a weekly basis.

Thamaga/Kumakwane legislator, Mr Palelo Motaosane had asked the minister to brief Parliament on the status of feeding programmes in primary schools across the country.

He also asked if the minister was aware that there was no food since schools reopened as well as shortage of stationery and furniture across the country in primary schools. ENDS