WFP donates food to schools in Chilubi District
Chilubi January 9, 2014, ZANIS — THE United Nations World Food Programme (WFP ) has donated over one hundred metric tons of maize to schools in Chilubi District.
ZANIS reports that Chilubi District Education Board Secretary (DEBS) Stephen Muma confirmed the development in an interview , today.
Mr. Muma said this week the district received 112.5 metric tons which came to a total of two thousand two hundred and fifty (2250) x50 kilogram bags of white maize.
He further explained that this is a continued programme which started in 2011 under the United Nations’ World food Programme (WFP).
The DEBS stated that the Programme was initiated for reducing high numbers of absenteeism among pupils in most poverty-stricken areas in the country.
He added that this enables many schools in the area to provide meals to pupils when they come for lessons as a way of attracting them to be going to school in such areas.
Mr. Muma observed that since the programme started the levels of absenteeism has drastically reduced in many schools in the district.
He said the distribution exercise of maize which is likely to benefit all the 77 schools in the district has since started in readiness for the next weeks opening of schools.
Mr. Muma further observed that the consistence in the provision of such food stuffs in schools will greatly benefit the people in the area as it is not only going to increase the children’s attendance list in classes but to also scale up the literate levels in the country.