The DBE celebrates 10 years of the national School Nutrition Programme Best Schools and Districts Awards
The Department of Basic Education celebrated 10 years of the National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP) Best Schools and Districts Awards by schools and districts that implement the school nutrition programme with excellence, dedication and innovation. The NSNP Awards recognise excellence in the categories of National School Nutrition Programme Best Schools and Best Districts.
The 2020 NSNP Best District Award was revealed on Thursday, 05 March 2020 at the Lake Hotel and Conference Centre. The NSNP Best District award went to Ngaka Modiri Molema District, North West (NW). It is the second year in a row that the district award has gone to the NW province. The winning school will be announced at a later date culminating in the prize giving ceremony to be hosted by the winning province. The NSNP reaches 9.7 million learners daily.
The NSNP Awards were preceded by the 4th Annual NSNP Forum and celebration of the 2020 Africa Day of School Feeding, an initiative of the African Union as part of the Agenda 2063, which focuses on the well–being of Africa’s children to ensure optimal development for a brighter future.
The 2020 NSNP Forum was attended by 250 participants comprising of NSNP officials at the coalface of implementation of the programme, district officials and school monitors. Also in attendance were official from other government departments, academics and researchers in nutrition, the private sector, NGOs and DBE officials form the NSNP, Partnerships, Grant management and Communication. The Forum serves as a platform for key NSNP implementers and partners to strengthen programme capacity, efficiency, effectiveness and collaboration.
The Forum was held under the theme “The role of nutrition in enhancing learners’ cognitive and physical development”. The focus was on nutrition education and physical activity.
Dr Faith Kumalo, the Chief Director: Care and Support in Schools emphasised the importance of all the NSNP officials, who she says “have an important contribution to make and special role to play in changing the well-being of learners in the basic education sector”. “This platform, which brings together all our finest minds and key stakeholders in the sector is intended to encourage all officials to share their extensive experience in implementing the NSNP in their respective areas of work, find solutions to challenges and learn best practices from other provinces and partners”, she added.
Some of the speakers at the NSNP Forum included Dr F Pierri, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Representative in South Africa who outlined some of the work they do in developing countries in helping them to use smallholder farmers to achieve food security; Ms S Dunn, Free State Department of Education NSNP Provincial Manager, who gave feedback from the Global Child Nutrition Forum that took place in Siem Reap, Cambodia in 2019. Dr H Sedibe a Lecturer at the University of Pretoria, unpacked the 2020 NSNP Forum theme encouraging participants to increase efforts in nutrition knowledge in schools and communities to prevent non-communicable diseases. She emphasised that if we recognise learners as a national asset, school meals should be prepared with care, love and protection; the way one would handle an asset.
Since the launch of the NSNP Forum in the 2016/2017 financial year, it has continued to grow and improve. This has, in turn, helped foster ownership, diligence and pride in the programme. The Forum is in line with Goal 27 of the basic education sector Action Plan 2019, Towards Schooling 2030 which is aimed at “Improving quality of monitoring and support services by province and district offices to schools”.
Minister of Basic Education, Mrs Angie Motshekga, MP and the Chairperson of Tiger Brands Foundation will officially handover the newly built kitchen at the 2019 winning school, Sefako Makgatho Primary School in Atteridgeville, Pretoria in the Tshwane South District on 16 March 2020.
Enquiries:
Elijah Mhlanga
Cell: 083 580 8275
Sanki Lerefolo
Cell: 082 836 8703
