DILI, 29 april, 2022 (TATOLI)- World Food Program (WFP) is organized a national consultation focus on school feeding program (SFP) with the relevant government institution composed of the Minister of Education (MoEYS), Minister of State of Administration (MSA) and other relevant institutions.
Strategic Objective Manager of WFP, SURESH Laskhminarayanan said the objective of this event is to consult decree-law mainly focused on the School feeding program. It is required how to ensure the well administrating and the implementation of the program.
“It is required an input from all relevant stockholders. It ensures the well administrating on operationalizing for implementing school feeding program,” Strategic Objective Manager of WFP, SURESH Laskhminarayanan informed the media at City8, manleuana, 29 april, Friday.
He added that WFP is providing technical support for developing the decree-law on school feeding programs.
WFP also recommends three methods to reach a sustainable objective composed of providing nutritive meals for school, which produce from the local farm. WFP intends to promote the local product by developing local farms, especially for female farmers.
WFP requires higher the cost of meals for students from $0.25 to $.50 due to the increasing cost of local food items during the covid-19 and the conflict that happened in the European countries.
Mr. Suresh appeals to all partners to provide sufficient funds for the school feeding program. This is to ensure students consume nutritious foods. It benefits children to be able to have creative and productive ideas in the future. All schools are practiced to provide adequate nutrition foods to students.
Regarding school feeding program progress, WFP has provided five pilot programs in Dili composed of established school’s kitchen, clean water installation, and offered IT equipment.
WFP also established a line payment platform to resister for local foods supplier through catch less technique. It is linking the market and access to nutritive foods. This pilot program has been implemented in EBC Metinaro, EBF Lemotun, EBF Lelaos, ABS Darlau and ABS Manleuana.
Speaking at the National Consultation event, General Director of Minister of State and Administration, Agostinho Da Costa said it is great to take the opportunity to join the national consultation event, which focused on school feeding programs.
“I am in commitment to deliberate those recommendations to the Council of Ministers for the discussion. The decree-laws will be submitted to National Parliament to be approved,” Mr. Costa said
Director-General of The Ministry of Education Youth and Sport (MoEYS), Antonino Pires said the MoEYS recognized that the implementation of the school feeding program is currently implemented in the manual system.
It is most appreciated for the development partner and other stokeholds to provide a modern platform for this program.
He added that the guidebooks are not sufficient to ensure the implementation of the school feeding program.
“MoEYS and SSA should provide the decree-law and provide the procurement process on SFP,”
Previously, the Timorese Government has signed an agreement on a School feeding program colligation to join global on July 21, 2021.
The total budget for the school feeding program comprised 7 million USD from KOICA, WFP provided 4 million USD, while the Government provided 1 million in its annual budget, the others funded is provided by World Health Organization (WHO).
This fund is provided for 4 years and launched from March 2022 to 2026.
It is known that WFP was an operational school feeding program in last 2005-to 2011 and the government assumed responsibility for this program.
Journalist: José Belarmino De Sá
Editor: Nelia Borges
