Durban – Education Portfolio Committee members have appealed to Speaker of KwaZulu-Natal Legislature Nontembeko Boyce to allow them to visit more schools in the province to assess whether the National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP) is being delivered to all needy children.
Committee members expressed the desire to visit more schools following their two-day unannounced visits to schools on the North and South Coast last week.
Committee member Mntomuhle Khawula, from the IFP, said they were keen on determining whether the situation of feeding learners was back on track after a chaotic period which attracted the attention of Department of Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga.
“Our view as committee members is that we ought to visit more schools and see whether the situation has improved at all in the last couple of days since the announcement that we are returning to the old system,” said Khawula.
Khawulu added that the message had been conveyed to committee chairperson Sifiso Sonjica who had undertaken to write to the speaker seeking permission for further visits.
Another committee member Dr Imran Keeka, of the DA, confirmed that they had sought to visit more schools.
Last week’s visits, according to the Member of Provincial Legislature, showed challenges with the supply of food, with quantities being lower than expected.
“We continued to observe low quantities which meant that learners would be getting smaller portions and that means nutritional value is compromised,” Keeka.
The MPL said while they were pinning their hopes on getting the nod from the speaker, he would undertake unannounced visits to schools on his own accord in the coming week.
Sonjica was not immediately available for comment on Sunday.