Sandiso Phaliso
WERE it not for the feeding scheme at her school, 10-year-old Nadia Mpohlekana – one of 465 000 pupils fed at school every day – would eat only once a day.
FoodBank South Africa said one in every five children in the country go to school hungry.
Yesterday, dietician and nutritionist Megan Pentz-Kluyts visited Abedare Primary school in Delft as part of National Nutrition Week.
She said it was a sad reality that many children arrived at school hungry.
From last Friday until tomorrow, South Africa celebrates National Nutrition Week and on Friday it is World Food Day’s turn.
National Nutrition Week is an education awareness campaign promoting healthy lifestyles through emphasising good nutrition to pupils, educators and parents.
“By having breakfast in the morning you are giving yourself energy to take you through the day. Hungry children cannot learn because they find it hard to concentrate, compared to those who had breakfast.
“Children who eat breakfast get more minerals and vitamins, and do better in class and when they play on the sporting grounds,” said Pentz-Kluyts.
Nadia, a Grade 4 pupil, lives with her mother in Delft and said she hardly misses school, because if she did she would miss her meal.
“The food is good and I eat it every school day. My mother does not have to worry about breakfast and lunch because I get it at school,” Nadia said.
Principal Kholeka Qokela said since the school began offering children breakfast and lunch, she had noticed an improvement in pupils’ concentration levels.
“Most of the children at this school come from child-headed homes, poor backgrounds where there is no one working to provide food for breakfast and lunch, and this helps to benefit them when they are here at school.”
Qokela said most pupils come to school for the meals.
“Absenteeism is very low and late-coming is a thing of the past for many of them because they don’t want to miss their daily meal.”
She said without breakfast the pupils used to struggle concentrating in class and would have a bad attitude towards educators or a particular subject.
Jessica Shelver, speaking on behalf of Education MEC Debbie Schäfer, said many pupils arrive at school hungry, sick and exhausted.
Shelver said 465 000 pupils are fed two nutritious meals at school every day.
She said the National Development Plan states that by 2030 feeding schemes in schools should cover all children in need and provide food that is high in nutritional content and rich in vitamins.
Shelver said there are five different menus for each day of the week and the menus include rice, samp, soya mince, a protein, fruit, vegetables, bread, jam, peanut butter and cereals.
“It allows children to focus on their studies rather than their stomachs and helps to increase school enrolment and attendance, decrease drop-out rates and improve cognitive abilities,” said Shelver.
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