The Government allocated $26.9 million out of the 2014 General State Budget (OJE) to the School Feeding Program (SFP) to be implemented in all basic education schools in the country.
Prime Minister (PM) Kay RalaXananaGusmao said the intention of this budget allocation is ensure children get adequate nutrition.
“The intention on the one hand is to maintain our children in the schoolswhilston the other hand ensure they get a balanced diet so we can combat malnutrition,” PM Gusmao said.
Meanwhile Member of Parliament MP EladioFaculto, from Commission F (Education, Health, Culture, Gender Equality and Veteran Affairs) said the problem of the School Feeding Program so far has been its poor management.
He said in 2013 the budget for the SFP was 15 cents per student but in 2014 it was increased to 25 cents.
According to him the increase in the budget is good but consideration needs to be given also to where food bought will be stored because currently rice is stored in the schools.
“And we saw what happened in Los Palos, children were given contaminated food,”said MP Faculto.
