NORTH WEST Premier Bushy Maape visited Dingake Primary School in Verdwaal outside Lichtenburg on Wednesday, 17 January.
He introduced a free breakfast programme, providing pupils from one of the province's disadvantaged communities a happy start to the 2024 academic year.
The school caters for more than 500 pupils from grades R to 7.
The pupils could not hold their excitement after realising they would get a morning meal at their school every school day.
According to Maape’s office, the initiative implemented through the National School Nutrition Programme aims to mitigate the impact of poverty on pupils from communities grappling with various challenges of socio-economic concern.
“Dingake Primary and 300 other schools will benefit from the introduction of breakfast as part of an intensified programme to serve two meals a day to pupils from underprivileged communities,” Maape said.
The pupils were excited.
“This is delicious. It's nice food. I like it,” said a grade 3 pupil.
A grade 5 pupil said she normally came to school on an empty stomach.
“I have a reason to come to school now. At least I know I will have my breakfast. We do not have enough food at home, we are many,” she said.
School governing body chairman Elisa Kujane said the programme will benefit the school because it has a high number of dropouts and pupils who arrive late, primarily because they are hungry and do not have lunch boxes.
“Previously, we would force the students to eat at 10am, rather than waiting for lunch because we noticed that they were unable to concentrate in class due to hunger. This project will ensure that students regain interest in coming to school knowing that they will have something to eat in the morning and at lunch break,” she said.
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Maape was accompanied by the North West Education MEC Viola Motsumi.
Still in the North West, pupils at Motladi Kgaodikgaodi Primary School were happy to be back at school, while some parents were worried that they might not get space due to late applications.
The school has 416 pupils from grades R to 7.
Rustenburg Mayor Sheila Mabale-Huma visited the school on Wednesday.
During the visit, the municipality donated school shoes and sanitary pads.
“The school is ready for this academy year. We assessed the school's state of readiness for this academic year, and I'm happy to say everything is in order,” said Huma.
School principal Nthabiseng Nkwe said they were humbled and honoured by the visit.
"This is the first time something like this happened at our school. We are blessed and I believe this year will be one of the best for us,” she said.
