Governor Johnson Sakaja of Nairobi county has assured parents that the Dishi na County school feeding program will continue, even as the national government ends its own program.
Governor Sakaja’s declaration comes at a time of uncertainty regarding national school feeding initiatives. He emphasized that “parents and children in Nairobi should have nothing to worry about. The Dishi na County school feeding program remains on.”
Launched shortly after taking office, Governor Sakaja’s program provides nearly 200,000 meals daily, catering to a student population of approximately 360,000 children.
National School Feeding Program Faces Scrutiny
The National Treasury proposed removing the national school feeding program from the proposed budget for the 2024/2025 financial year. During a defense of the budget before the National Assembly Education Committee, Permanent Secretary for Basic Education, Belio Kipsang, expressed concern about the Treasury’s decision.
“The Treasury wants this scrapped,” Kipsang said. “It has been very essential for the success of school-going children.” He strongly advocated for retaining the national program, highlighting the critical role it plays in ensuring food security for underprivileged students.
“The difficulty we are now confronting,” Kipsang continued, “is that the complete budget has been taken away. Those of us who eat three times each day possibly do not understand the feeling when a child in certain areas of this nation doesn’t have any food.”
“We must understand the importance of school feeding programs for students’ success, and it is crucial to ensure that every child receives education,” Kipsang emphasized. He appealed for the reinstatement of the national program’s budget.
Kipsang acknowledged the concerning statistic of over 2 million children who remain out of school, with food insufficiency being a significant contributing factor. While requesting additional funding for the national program (originally allocated Sh4.9 billion for the current financial year), Kipsang confirmed its cancellation.
Dishi na County: A Local Solution
Despite the national program’s cancellation, Nairobi’s Dishi na County program offers a local solution to address food insecurity among students. This initiative demonstrates Governor Sakaja’s commitment to ensuring continued support for the city’s school children.