Mission Statement
To develop the country’s human resource base, through the provision of basic nutritional support to children in Infant and Primary Schools in urban and rural communities.
Vision Statement
To introduce innovative approaches to help sustain the School Feeding Programme.
Objectives
- To provide basic nutritional support to children in Infant and Primary Schools aimed at eradicating malnutrition among the vulnerable children in society
- To provide students of low socio-economic background attending Infant and Primary Schools with textbooks and workbooks as prescribed by the Ministry
Functions
- To assist with the development of the country’s human resource base through the provision of basic nutritional support to children in Infant and Primary School
- To aid with the development of the country’s human resource base by providing children from low socio-economic background with textbooks and workbooks as prescribed by the Ministry
School Feeding Program
History
The School Feeding Programme (SFP) in St Lucia is a social assistance programme that commenced in 1983 where students were provided with a milk and sandwich snack during the recess break. This programme was funded by the United Nations (UN), through its World Food Program (WFP), with the stated goals of relieving hunger among primary school children, increasing their nutritional intake and encouraging children to attend school. Subsequently, the WFP through the STABEX fund, introduced the mid-day lunch and discontinued the milk and sandwich snack.
In the year 2000, the Government of St Lucia assumed responsibility for the SFP which is available to all students attending infant and primary schools in all eight (8) education districts in St Lucia. Research findings in the 2019 Education Statistical Digest of St. Lucia shows a total public infant, primary and secondary school population of 29,061 of which 15,750 attend 76 infant and primary schools and 13,311 attend 23 secondary schools.
AT PRESENT
Currently, six thousand seven hundred and sixty (6760) or 42.9% of public infant and primary school students in 76 schools are served daily with a nutritious hot meal, prepared by cooks in the school kitchen. These meals provide approximately one-third (1/3) of the recommended dietary daily requirement for children. In addition, there is a Pilot Project School Feeding Programme The Programme is a very important component of the Safety Net Programme, targeting over six thousand (6250) children on a daily basis to provide breakfast and a hot nutritious meal. The programme is operated at all Infant and Primary schools, Special Education Centres and Youth Rehabilitative Centers and five (5) secondary schools:- Babonneau Secondary, Bocage Secondary, Stanley Jon Odlum Memorial Secondary, Anse Ger Secondary and Beanefield Comprehensive Secondary Schools. Fifty (50) students are served daily and an alternate list of ten (10) names in the absence of the fifty (50) names. Contracts are issued by the Department of Education to Contractors at Secondary Schools or from privately owned canteens, agreeing to sell meals to students at a cost of $8.00 per meal. Contractors are required to submit claim forms on a fortnightly basis for compensation.
Additionally, a separate Feeding Programme is operated at the (number) Early Childhood Education Centres under the guidance of Administrators of these Centres, which are state-owned.
The Department of Education, Innovation and Gender Relations currently employs one hundred and fifteen (115) Cooks, assigned to Infant and Primary Schools to manage the Feeding Programme, specifically to prepare meals and serve the students. In addition to lunch which is sold at EC$1.00 per meal, Cooks are required to prepare and serve Breakfast to needy students, daily.
In September 2019, the St. Lucia Sports Academy was established as a full functioning institution. Fifty (50) students and five (5) Dormitory Masters are fed breakfast, lunch and dinner whilst break/snacks are provided by a contracted Canteen Operator.
Book Bursary Program
The programme was established to provide textbooks and workbooks for the vulnerable students in society who are attending Infant and Primary Schools
- Bursaries will be awarded to 2 students per household to allow for equitable distribution within the society.
- Identified students will be provided with prescribed textbooks and workbooks for the academic year.
- Students are to return the textbooks at the end of each academic year before they can be considered for books for the next academic year.
- Students must present Report Books in order to be issued with required books [textbooks and workbooks.]
- Books will not be issued to students under the following conditions:-
- Gross Misconduct
- If student is repeating a grade;
- Consistent poor performance;
- Damaged or failure to return books;
- The student no longer falls in needy category.