Six hundred thousand lower-grade students in sixty-six sub-counties in arid and semi-arid regions and nine informal urban settlements are set to benefit from the enriched porridge programme.
The Ministry of Education in a statement on Sunday, August 13 said the programme is funded by the government through the National Council for Nomadic Education in Kenya (NACONEK) and support from five partners in agro-based business.
“The National Commission for Nomadic Education Kenya (NACONEK) in conjunction with agro-based organisations is piloting the provision of enriched porridge to 600,000 lower grade learners in 66 sub-counties in ASAL regions and nine informal urban settlements,” read the statement in part.
According to NACONEK Chief Executive Officer Harun Yusuf, the porridge is being given as part of the School Meals Programme (SMP) as a midmorning snack to learners in grades 1, 2 and 3 since this is a crucial age for growth and development for children.
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Yusuf who made the remarks on Friday, August 11 noted that a pilot of the porridge programme is currently being done in Isiolo, Samburu, and Garissa counties.
He added that the porridge programme enhances access of learners to school and promotes the cognitive development of learners, therefore, enhancing learner performance.
The NACONEK CEO further stated that the porridge programme to lower grade learners is in addition to the SMP under which all learners in primary school in the ASAL areas and informal settlements in nine urban centres receive food rations as part of the Government policy of access.
