There are many benefits to gain when schools, parents and farmers cooperate to promote students' feeding in schools, according to the Ministry of Education.

Since its introduction, the school feeding programme 97.3 are fed ate school. It was seventh resolution of recent National Leadership Retreat in order to "revamp” the programme to improve the quality of education.

It was concluded that milk will be added to the meals. And the priority for schools’ food will be the locally produced crops in the districts. The government contributes Rwf56 per student.

Over the last five years the annual feeding budget has beenrwf 5.5bn but it is expected to increase to Rwf 7bn in 2019-2020.

Minister of Education (Mineduc), Dr Eugene Mutimura, said the programme has seen an immediate impact on the students.

"It is visible that the students get to school on time, teachers start teaching on time, and the students do not drop out of schools. That is why the government supports the programme, and will do anything to promote it.

For instance, schools that poorly performed at national level in last three years, but kept enhancing their school feeding programme and providing a nutritive diet — such as milk, among others, have started doing well, their students are learning and they are no longer dropping out.

They are performing well, and some are becoming the best performers, we have statistics to prove it,” he explained.

To be more food secure and to protect environment, Mutimura called on schools to plant trees at the schools, especially fruit trees and vegetables.

According to Kirehe District Mayor Muzungu Gerald, every year, parents in his district contributed around Rwf117 million to the feeding programme and 96 percent of primary and secondary students are fed at school.

editor@newtimesrwanda.com