Mark Beckford, Gleaner Writer
Daffodil Bruce-Miller (left), community relations officer at the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS), and Minister of Industry, Commerce, Science and Technology, Phillip Paulwell, look at textbooks with class two students of the Adastra Gardens Basic School in Rockfort St. Andrew, before the launch of the JPS/Ministry of Education Nutritional Support Programme for basic schools in the Rockfort area. The launch took place at the school yesterday. -NORMAN GRINDLEY/DEPUTY CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER
TEN BASIC schools in Rockfort, east Kingston area, are to receive a major boost in their school-feeding programme from the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS)/ Ministry of Education and Youth Nutritional Support Programme.
These schools will receive over $85,000 each term to assist with the nutrition of just over 1,000 students.
Speaking at the launch at the Adastra Gardens Basic School yesterday, Member of Parlia-ment for Eastern Kingston, Phillip Paulwell, lauded the initiative.
We recognise that the basic school programme needs further assistance ... and we were able to encourage JPS, and they have agreed to enable the youngsters to have a proper breakfast," he said.
EARLY CHILDHOOD FOCUS
Mr. Paulwell, who is also the Minister of Industry, Commerce, Science and Technology (with Energy), said the programme was in keeping with Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller's focus on early childhood education.
"That (nutrition programme) will go a far way to advance the cause of learning in our basic schools," he added.
The programme, which began in 2002, currently assists 12,000 students from more than 200 early childhood institutions.
Community Relations Manager at the JPS, Maurice Reid, sees the programme as fostering develop-ment in the community.
"As a corporate body we believe that everybody's best interest will be served with focusing on foundation education, that is why we believe that one of the best ways is to deal with a nutritional support programme," he explained.
