Education ministry calls for inclusion of school meals in state budget

Maputo, 10 May (AIM) – The Mozambican Education Ministry has called for inclusion of the National School Meals Programme (PRONAE) into the state budget, due to its lack of sustainability and dependence on external funding.

According to Ministry representative António Chioza, speaking on Thursday at a round table entitled “The role of private companies in promoting school meals in Mozambique”, in order to achieve sustainable expansion, it is essential that PRONAE is funded from the state budget and in line with a legal policy framework that integrates it with other government and private sectors.

“The integration of PRONAE into the Education Strategic Plan has opened up a space for school meals to be seen and assumed as an integral part of school management, a contribution to promoting access to education, retention, improved learning and completion of levels for pupils enrolled in schools that implement food support”, he said.

He explained that the Education Ministry wants PRONAE to be implemented on the basis of laws and regulations that contribute to its legality and long-term sustainability.

“For this reason, the Ministry together with a number of cooperation partners, is finalizing the drafting of the National School Meals Strategy and intends to ensure its approval for subsequent dissemination and, in the medium term, to work on specific schools”, he explained.

For his part, Rafael Nzucule, the external engagement manager at the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), a Swiss foundation which works in Mozambique, said that through its CASCADE project, which aims to improve the capacity to understand, assess, and treat current and future climate change related risks on the local level, it is possible to promote healthier and more resilient diets.

For his part, the chairperson of the Mozambique Chamber of Commerce (CCM), Álvaro Massingue, praised the partnership between GAIN and the government.

“CCM embraces the initiative because it believes that companies must be involved in school meals promotion. Involvement by the private sector may contribute to greater efficiency, better use of food production, distribution and management systems, ensuring that resources are used in the best way”, Massingue said.

(AIM)

Mr/ad/pf (359)