By Petrina Francis, Education ReporterTRAVERT SPENCE, the President of the Manchester Principals' Association, said that when all schools reopen in the parish next week, there will be a shortage of food because of the rationalisation of the school-feeding programme by the Ministry of Education.
Speaking at a Gleaner Editors' Forum at the Bethabara Primary and Junior High School in Newport, Manchester, yesterday, Mr. Spence said that up to the end of the last school year, some institutions got assistance through the nutri-bun and the cooked lunch programmes.
A DIFFICULT TASK
However, he noted that as a result of changes by the Ministry, schools can only now get one component. In addition, he said that as a result of the impact that Hurricane Ivan had on families, the problem of food shortage would be further aggravated because many more children will need a free lunch.
Mr. Spence, however, pointed out that this is going be a difficult task because the money that is given to a school like his (Bethabara), to provide cooked lunch for students ($43,000 from September to December), is inadequate. He said that he hopes the day will come when all children will get a free lunch at school, regardless of their social, economic or political orientation.
A SPECIAL APPEAL
In the meantime, Mr. Spence is making a special appeal to corporate Manchester to assist the Grade Nine Achievement Test (GSAT) students who were not awarded a place in grade 10 recently. He said that the majority of them are boys "and if you leave the boys in the parish of Manchester out and don't educate them, they will become experts at gun-slinging."
Still, he said that there is help on the way for these students as they have identified at least three centres where they will begin helping them but money will be needed to keep the operation running.
He noted that a number of schools in Manchester were damaged during the hurricane and the biggest challenge they are experiencing now is damaged roofs but he believes that most schools will reopen on Monday, especially to those in the critical grades.
