Government rolls out school feeding program to boost attendance in Busia

RODGERS OMONDI-KNA

The Government has launched a school feeding programme in secondary schools in Busia County, targeting day schools, with the first phase covering schools in Busia Sub-county.

The initiative aims to reduce school absenteeism, improve retention, and enhance academic performance among learners.

During the launch at Our Lady of Mercy Secondary School in Busia,beneficiary schools received 520 bags of beans and 600 bags of rice Principal Secretary for Economic Planning, Bonface Makokha, who officiated the launch, said the programme is designed to ensure that no student drops out of school due to lack of food or financial challenges at home.

“Our goal is to achieve full retention of students in our schools. Many learners are forced to stay at home when parents cannot raise money.

This programme will ensure consistent attendance and improved performance. We aim for 100 percent attendance in all our schools,” Makokha said.

He added that the initiative would primarily benefit day secondary schools, which are more vulnerable to absenteeism, as well as selected special primary schools in the county.

According to the PS, 22 secondary schools in Busia Subcounty have already benefited from the programme, with plans underway to expand it to other sub-counties.

“We are determined to ensure that schools in all sub-counties benefit from this programme. We have also included special schools such as Busidibu, Mundika, Lwanya and Bugeng’i special schools all from Busia subcounty to promote inclusivity and ensure that no learner is left behind,” he said.

Makokha called on parents, school administrators, and other stakeholders to support the initiative, emphasizing that education is a shared responsibility.

He also revealed that professionals from Busia have established a supplementary education fund to complement government efforts.

“We have started with Sh1.5 million, but our target is to raise Sh20 million to support education in the county,” he said.

Busia County Director of Education Mary Oichoe said the programme would significantly reduce absenteeism and urged school principals to ensure that all students remained in school throughout the term.

“Parents’ contributions are meant to support lunch programmes agreed upon with schools. Now that the government has provided food, there should be no students on the roads this term,” she said.

Oichoe further noted that the transition of learners to Grade 10 in the county is progressing well, currently standing at 99 per cent.

“We are working to trace the remaining one per cent to ensure we achieve 100 per cent transition in line with the President’s directive,” she said.

Busia Sub-county Deputy County Commissioner Julias Maiyo praised the efforts of local administrators in promoting school transition and urged parents to cooperate with authorities to ensure that all children are enrolled in school.

“We are conducting follow-up exercises to ensure we meet the targets set by the government,” he said.

St Paul’s Busende Secondary School Principal Patrick Barasa welcomed the programme, saying the food received would ease the burden faced by schools and help keep students in class.

“We have struggled with food shortages in our schools. With this support, our students will remain in school, and we urge the government to continue assisting schools,” he said.