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Nqobile Tshili, Chronicle Reporter
THE Government has been urged to extend the school feeding scheme across all classes in primary and secondary schools as the drought that is ravaging communities across the country will result in pupils dropping out.
In an interview, Nkayi district development co-ordinator Ms Matilda Mlotshwa said while Government has a running feeding scheme programme in schools targeting lower grades, drought was affecting learners across classes.
“During the crop assessment, Agritex revealed that villagers harvested crops that could only last them at most, a month. This means the harvest lasted them only up to April so they are now facing food challenges.
“Our livestock has also been affected by the drought and even those who wish to sell their animals can no longer get meaningful returns. We are an agro-based district, we do not have an alternative means of generating income so when we are in such a drought predicament we become very poor,” she said.
“This results in school drop outs because most families have no income to pay school fees while food becomes very scarce. Some families are now surviving on a single meal per day. So children may end up no longer going to school.”
Ms Mlotshwa said the drought is also likely to affect pupils sitting for end of year examinations.
“With the declaration that the drought is a state of national disaster, we hope all the school children even those in secondary schools will benefit from the feeding scheme.
“Soon schools will be in examination sessions and learners will be sitting for their papers on empty stomachs.
“By the end of the day if they perform badly and it will give an impression that as a district we are failing in our duties. Yet there would be some external factors hindering a pupil’s performance,” she said.
Ms Mlotshwa said she was optimistic that once Government commences food distribution, the situation will improve.
She said Government was finalising modalities on how food will be distributed under the food-for- work scheme.
Ms Mlotshwa said Nkayi district is also facing perennial water shortages affecting both humans and livestock. – @nqotshili
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