Provision of daily snacks to needy school children suffers setback |07 June 2021
Following a pledge in April this year to provide 1000 daily snacks to public school children in need, United Seychelles (US) says that it will no longer be able to do so due to force majeure.
In a press release, United Seychelles explains that the Ministry of Education has informed the party that the ministry does not have the transportation capacity nor the logistics to distribute these snack packs to the children in different schools.
The political party noted that this is a “regrettable decision” made by the Ministry of Education, adding that it hopes the ministry receives the funding to ensure that students who are most in need receive their daily snacks.
“United Seychelles strongly believes that the child cannot learn on an empty stomach and that no child should be left behind because they are poor,” United Seychelles’ press release continues.
On its part, the Ministry of Education has clarified its position regarding the distribution of the 1000 daily snacks promised by US.
The Ministry of Education states that it is encouraging the political party to find its own means to distribute the daily snacks so as to carry on with it.
“The Ministry of Education would like to add that many organisations are contributing towards providing snacks to children in different schools which they are doing in line with the ministry’s regulations and they are in charge of their own distributions without any difficulties,” the press release from the education ministry notes.
Meanwhile, One Seychelles has thrown their two cents into the matter stating that it is unfortunate that the ministry does not have the resource or logistics to continue with the agreement made between US and the ministry.
One Seychelles’ secretary general, Peter Sinon, highlighted that this agreement had been one of the few consensus made outside of the National Assembly arena.
The initiative, Mr Sinon continues, was based on a noble principle which all political parties, including One Seychelles, could agree on: that no child in Seychelles should have to go hungry, no matter where they hail from.
“The consensus had been a source of great hope for us all that indicated that we could place politics aside to address certain important issues and move in the same direction for the betterment of the country,” states the One Seychelles press release.
“Similar to United Seychelles, One Seychelles hopes that the Ministry of Education remains on the same wavelength and honors the consensus to assure the public that no Seychellois child shall assist a class on an empty stomach.”
Elsie Pointe