By Saidu Jalloh, Daily Scope Reporter
The Government of Sierra Leone, through the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education, will roll out a nationwide sensitization campaign to boost implementation of the National School Feeding Programme across all 15 operational districts.
The 10-day exercise is aimed at deepening stakeholder collaboration, raising public awareness, and tightening accountability in the delivery of school meals.
Target participants include local councils, district education offices, school management committees, traditional leaders, farmers, civil society organizations, and community representatives.
Officials say the National School Feeding Programme has contributed to higher school enrolment, improved attendance and retention, and better nutrition for pupils in benefiting schools. However, they note that limited awareness and weak community involvement in some areas have continued to affect rollout.
The campaign will focus on educating communities on the programme’s goals, encouraging local ownership, and promoting active participation in monitoring. Key areas to be emphasized include food quality, hygiene, nutrition standards, and transparency in procurement and distribution.
Activities will include district-level stakeholder meetings, community outreach sessions, school engagements, and interactive forums to collect feedback and identify gaps for improvement.
According to the Ministry, the initiative is expected to improve coordination among implementing partners, strengthen community participation, and reinforce oversight mechanisms. It is also projected to drive further gains in attendance while enhancing the safety and nutritional value of meals served to pupils.
The exercise will cover all districts currently implementing the programme. Monitoring and evaluation will be carried out to assess impact and effectiveness.
Government maintains that consistent stakeholder engagement is critical to sustaining the programme and advancing broader goals of improving education outcomes, child nutrition, and human capital development in Sierra Leone.
_For more information, contact Daily Scope Newspaper at dailyscopemedia@gmail.com
