10,300 Grade six children on the coastland receiving breakfast - MOE Permanent Secretary

Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education Alfred King and Breakfast Coordinator Mahendra Phagwah officially launched the Breakfast Programme for the Georgetown education district at the West Ruimveldt Primary School earlier on Thursday.

At the simple ceremony, Permanent Secretary Alfred King revealed that already 10,300 Grade Six students from 270 schools on the coast are receiving breakfast under this initiative.

He added that by October, the Ministry hopes to have 10,700 students receiving breakfast. The programme he said has its own social benefits throughout the various communities.

“We’re engaging suppliers, contractors from your communities and therefore that would give them a chance to earn, have an income. So here again, the benefits are beyond, just giving the feeding programme to the schools and the children,” King explained.

Meanwhile, Breakfast Programme Co-coordinator at the Education Ministry Mahendra Phagwah urged the students to speak up when there is not a good breakfast served and ensure that the providers are on time.

Phagwah said, “We want to ensure that when you come to school, you’re having a meal every morning and you’re able to have something healthy in your stomach and you’re able to focus the rest of the day in school.” Students at the Grade Six level in Georgetown will be receiving breakfast every day to assist in improving attendance, health and well-being of the students as they prepare for the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA).

$267 million has been expended on the Breakfast Programme for every Grade Six child on the coastland regions including Regions Two, Three, Four, Five, Six and ten.