National School Feeding Scheme Report to the Portfolio Committee October 2002

Background to PSNP  Presidential Lead Project since 1994  Aims of PSNP  To improve the learning capacity of children  To alleviate the effects of poverty

Current status of PSNP  Implemented by Health and Education, with Health as lead Department  Components of Integrated Nutrition Programme  School feeding  Nutrition education  Parasite control  Micronutrient supplementation in schools

Cabinet decisions 23 rd January 2002  Improve implementation of PSNP  Extension to Grade R learners in schools and registered ECD Centres  Determine best location of school feeding  Health, Education and Social Development to ensure proper functioning of PSNP

Further steps  Evaluation of PSNP programme by Health  Working group of Health, Education and Social Development considered decisions of Cabinet and evaluation, and prepared technical paper for Cabinet.

Cabinet decision 18 th September 2002  Inclusion of Grade R learners in targeted Primary schools  Funding to be increased annually  Continue co-operation to improve efficiency  Transfer of School feeding component of the Integrated Nutrition Programme to Education by April 2004.

Inclusion of Grade R learners  Develop criteria for targeting Primary schools in nodal areas  Detailed information available on current Grade R learners; ECD rollout to coincide with targeting  Co-ordination with DoSD regarding feeding in registered ECD Community sites

Funding  Agreed to increase annually  Increase to be based on ongoing needs analysis  Basic options for menus to be prepared and costed  Part of budget for Integrated Nutrition Programme to be retained by Health for management of other three components

Improving efficiency  Standardised menus  Standardised time and number of days feeding  Improved procurement procedures  Improved targeted strategies  Increased participation of community groups, especially women’s groups

Transfer of programme to Education  Conceptualisation and planning of new approach  Human resources: recruitment and development  System capacity: national, provincial, local and school levels  Inter-Departmental collaboration  Governing body involvement

New approaches?  Build on successes of community feeding initiatives  Build especially on community gardens: co- operation of FAO secured  Provide a hot meal, for up to 200 days a year  Use governing bodies to manage programmes