By: Josephine Nyeweah in Kenema district
Over 50 school leaders, parents, and guardians in Nongowa Rural in Nongowa Chiefdom Kenema district are calling on the government and partners to implement a school feeding program in their schools this September academic year.
The request came out of a meeting held at Talia Torgboma on the Kenema Kailahun highway in the Nongowa Chiefdom Kenema district, which brought together parents, guardians, and school leaders to speak with one voice in finding a possible solution to the problem they are facing in their communities in terms of school feeding.
Jinnah Abdulai school leader D.E.C. Primary school Hangha town disclosed that Kenema district has 16 chiefdoms; only Nongowa Rural in Nongowa chiefdom is not benefiting from the school feeding program, adding the situation is not only embarrassing the pupils but the parents, guardians, and teachers.
Mohamed Joe-Betty from R.C. Malleh revealed that schools that are not on the school feeding program find it very difficult to retain students, as most pupils go into the bush searching for palm kanels and other wild fruits during lunch hours, and the majority don’t return to school after lunch hours.
Some parents and guardians have transferred their children to relatives in other communities where school feeding is taking place in schools.
Madam Fattu Bockarie, a parent who witnessed the meeting, points out that the school feeding program that is not taking place in their communities is creating great embarrassment for them as parents in the communities and confirms that most community members have relocated their children. Adding the children belongs to all and sundry in the nation, pointing fingers to the Minister of Education and the president.
She appealed to the President and his partners to immediately look into their cries by bringing school feeding programs into their communities in Nongowa Rural by joining schools that are on school feeding programs.
She revealed that “Schools that are not on school feeding are facing serious challenges in running their schools, especially after the lunch hours.
As parents, she called on her community members to have faith in the government as their plight will be considered immediately, referring to the president as a listening president to achieve the free quality drive.
