The Ministry of Education is calling on parents to strengthen their support for the school feeding program by complementing the government’s contribution through additional financial support. The aim is to improve students’ well-being and help them follow their lessons effectively.
This comes at a time when some parents say that although they are aware of the program, there are challenges that prevent them from fully participating. In various parts of the country, school administrators report that some parents fail to meet their responsibilities within the program, which negatively affects its implementation.
One head teacher of a primary school, who preferred to remain anonymous.
“Some parents believe the program belongs solely to the government and fail to understand that they also have a crucial role to play. When some do not contribute, it makes implementation difficult. Shared the teacher.
He added that in some cases, certain students do not receive meals on time because parents’ contributions have not been fully collected. On the parents’ side, some say they are aware of the program and support it, but limited financial capacity remains a challenge.
One parent from Huye District said: “We know that feeding children at school is important, but sometimes financial means are very limited. If you have many children in school, the contribution becomes heavy.”
“Some people think that since the government introduced the program, it should handle everything. But in my view, even though it is difficult, we as parents must also do our part.” Another parent said.
Jean Damascene Nsengiyumva, the official in charge of health and student welfare in schools at the Ministry of Education of Rwanda, emphasized that parents’ involvement is essential to achieving the goals of the program.
“The school feeding program aims to help children study in a safe environment while maintaining good health. We call upon parents to play a visible role by providing additional support to complement the government’s contribution.” He stated.
He further noted that cooperation between the government, parents, and other stakeholders is the only way to ensure the program’s sustainability and success. The school feeding program was launched in 2014, initially targeting the 9- and 12-year basic education levels. In 2019, it was approved by the Government and became mandatory in all basic education schools.
In the same year, the “Dusangire Lunch” initiative was introduced to encourage different stakeholders including public servants, private sector actors, civil society organizations, members of the Rwandan diaspora, and Rwandans in general to support the program so that children can continue their studies in a healthy and secure environment.
Education analysts note that when children receive meals at school, they gain the energy needed to learn, reduce dropout rates, and lower cases of malnutrition. However, for the program to function effectively and achieve its objectives, collective effort especially from parents is essential.
