Zimbabwe’s government will start a school-feeding programme in the country’s areas that have been worst hit by the drought.
The country’s cabinet has reportedly approved a $200m National School Feeding Scheme.
Children in the first two years of school will be prioritized in the programme.
“The schools feeding programme will commence in May and it will be for the infants from Grade 0 to 2,” Public Service Minister Prisca Mupfumira told the Sunday Mail. Children begin Grade 0 around the age of 5.
3,000 pupils are reported to have dropped out of school by October last year due to hunger.
Deputy Education Minister Paul Mavhima said: “Preferably we want two meals per day but we will start with one meal.”
It was not immediately clear if the programme would extend to children in non-registered “satellite” schools, which have been set up in rural areas and are often poorly-equipped.
