feeding scheme
6 March 2007
More than 200 000 learners in 991 poor schools benefit from the Government's
now renamed National School Nutrition Programme,(NSNP) at a cost of almost R50
million. So said Western Cape Education MEC Cameron Dugmore today in an
interpellation during the Provincial Legislature sitting. The programme catered
only for primary schools, but has since been restructured to include high
schools.
Western Cape Education Department (WCED) continues to battle with schools
who do not want to accept learners.
MEC Dugmore revealed in reply to a question, that the WCED continues to
receive queries from parents from time to time about schools who do not want to
accept learners to their schools, either on the basis of finance, disciplinary
or other reasons. Full details below.
Question: Mr Z C Stali to ask Mr C M Dugmore:
(a) What is the correct procedure to guide schools in relation to feeding
schemes and (b) what happens when an allocation does not cover the entire
school?
Answer:
1. (a) Madam Speaker, first of all, let me use this opportunity to update the
Members and the House on the current status of the feeding scheme:
The school-feeding scheme was originally administered by the Department of
Health, but since April 2004 it has become the responsibility of the WCED.
The feeding scheme was called the Primary School Nutrition Programme (PSNP)
and, as the name indicate, catered only for primary school learners. But, as
all of us are aware, when learners progress to high schools, they are
confronted by the same conditions of poverty and hunger. Therefore we have
taken a decision to rename it the NSNP, to accommodate both primary and high
school learners in quintiles one and two.
The annual budget for the current financial year (2006/07) is R48,313
million, and will increase in the next financial year to R50,729 million.
Currently 203 535 learners at 991 schools are benefiting from the
programme.
Honourable Members, the NSNP presents us with some challenges. We have too
few staff members to deal with monitoring at Education Management and
Development Centres (EMDCs). Many schools were not designed to have food
preparation areas causing these schools to encounter difficulties with the
storage of food products and equipment; and finding suitable areas where food
can be prepared.
Theft of equipment, for example stoves, pots and other utensils, could
become a threat to the continued supply of warm meals, as the Conditional Grant
that we receive from National Government will not be able to sustain the costs
of replacement of equipment.
We have already supplied 95 schools with good standard pre-fabricated mobile
units with safety gates and mesh covers over the windows, many schools
electrified these units. But my appeal to Members of this House, is to visit
the schools in your constituency, and assist weak schools with putting in place
additional safety measures, to ensure that no child go hungry because of theft
of equipment.
All schools that have the structural means are currently preparing warm
meals as part of their menu options.
Volunteers at more than 90% of targeted schools received training in food
and gas safety. Kitchen equipment, including three burner gas stoves on frames,
pots, etc., has been provided to all targeted schools.
With regards to the continuation of the programme, the bid tender process is
currently at a stage where the bid committee needs to decide upon new service
providers to become effective as from 1 April 2007 for a two-year period.
Schools who wish to apply for the NSNP, can do so by contacting
co-ordinators at each Education Management and Development Centre (i.e.
district office), who will provide them with the necessary assistance.
(b) Where there is a need to feed more learners than currently targeted in
quintile one and two schools, the schools should contact and report the matter
to the NSNP co-ordinator at their local Education Management and Development
Centre, whereupon more learners will be considered for feeding within budgetary
constraints and in line with the targeting strategy of the programme.
Question: Ms J Witbooi to ask Mr C M Dugmore, Minister of Education:
(a) Whether he has received any queries of school governing bodies or
individual parents in the Western Cape province from principals who do not want
to accept learners to their schools; if so, what were the reasons forwarded in
this regard and (b) how does the department intend dealing with issues like
these?
Answer:
(a) The WCED does receive queries, mostly from parents, from time to time about
schools who do not want to accept learners to their schools.
The reasons generally forwarded are:
* the inability of parents to pay outstanding school fees
* that schools refuse their children admission even though such a school is the
nearest to their homes
* that the refusal to enrol their children is because the school is full
* that the child seeking admission has a record of ill-discipline at their
present or previous school.
(b) With regard to the reasons cited above, the WCED generally deals with it
as follows:
1. School principals are informed that by law the inability of parents to pay
outstanding school fees is no reason to refuse a child admission to a
school.
2. Often parents neglect to enrol their children timeously at a school, or
first apply elsewhere at a school of their choice. If then not successful they
cite the "nearest to their home" reason. In such cases district office
officials will mediate with schools on their behalf, or indicate alternative
schools where accommodation is available.
3. The same reasons and mediation as indicated in (b) 2 above is applied by
departmental officials.
4. District officials mediate on the behalf of parents pointing out that
expulsion on the grounds of serious misconduct is the only reason why a child
is precluded from attending a school, and that in all cases where a child is
subject to compulsory education the WCED is compelled to find alternative
accommodation at another school for such a child.
5. A parent also has the right to appeal to me should he/she feel that the
refusal to admit his/her child was unfair [section 5(9) of the SA Schools Act,
Act 84/1996]. This appeal is dealt with by my office according to a certain
process, taking into account a range of issues e.g. time of application,
locality of parent vs. school, capacity of school, class sizes and the
admission policy of such a school.
Enquiries:
Gert Witbooi
Tel: (021) 467 2523
Fax: (021) 425 5689
Cell: 082 550 3938
E-mail: gwitbooi@pgwc.gov.za.
Issued by: Department of Education, Western Cape Provincial Government
7 March 2007
