Pretoria – The Tiger Brands Foundation (TBF) has donated three state-of-the-art kitchens to schools in Limpopo for the National School Nutrition Programme.
“Tiger Brands and its Foundation selected the National School Nutrition Programme as an area of cooperation and collaboration,” Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga said on Thursday.
Minister Motshekga said the TBF in-school breakfast pilot programme was initiated in six schools in Alexander, Gauteng, in July 2011.
The programme has expanded to providing breakfast to schools in seven provinces over the years, at a cost of R56 million.
Speaking at the Tiger Brands 20 Millionth Breakfast Celebrations in Limpopo, Minister Motshekga said school feeding had led to increased enrolment, increased participation in class, as well as reduced absenteeism over the years.
“When undertaking monitoring of the School Nutrition Programme in provinces, schools report positive change since the introduction of the programme,” she said.
Minister Motshekga said the foundation supplements the Volunteer Food Handlers’ stipend in all the schools implementing the Breakfast Programme.
“I am truly excited about more achievements that could potentially stem out of this partnership,” she said.
Minister Motshekga said the TBF funded programme had touched the lives of more than 39 373 young people.
Last year, the department and TBF marked the 10 millionth breakfast meal at the Gquebenya Junior Secondary School in the Lady Frere district, in the Eastern Cape. – SAnews.gov.za
