NATIONAL SCHOOL NUTRITION PROGRAMME

The National School Nutrition Programme is one of the government poverty alleviation strategy launched in 1994 as part of the Reconstruction and Development Programme. The programme was introduced to alleviate hunger among school going children with the aim to make basic education accessible to children from disadvantaged communities. The programme targets learners in Quintile 1-3 Primary and Secondary Schools as well as targeted special schools. Provision of food to learners is also aimed at the improvement of learner attendance, concentration span, cognitive development and performance.

WHAT IS IT ALL ABOUT

National School Nutrition programme is a school feeding programme that provides one meal to learners per day for all school days per annum. It is funded by the National Treasury in a form of a Conditional Grant in terms of the Division of Revenue Act. The National Treasury releases the funds after the province has submitted an approved Business Plan.

NSNP provides cooked meals to learners in all feeding days according to the feeding calendar. The meals I the NSNP are prepared by food handlers The province follows an approved menu which has been designed in consultation with Dieticians and the Department of Health.

FUNCTIONS

  • To provide nutritious meals to learners in quintile 1-3 primary, secondary and targeted special schools.
  • To establish and maintain sustainable food gardens in schools.
  • To educate school communities about healthy food choices.
  • To encourage school communities to make healthy food choices in order to prevent some life-style diseases.
  • To establish partnership with departments and relevant stakeholders for the benefit of the programme.

STRUCTURE 

NSNP falls within Directorate- Learner Social Support Services. The programme manager is responsible for NSNP, School Safety and Learner Transport.

STRATEGIC DOCUMENTS

  1. Business Plan
  2. Conditional Grant Frame-Work
  3. NSNP Implementation Guidelines
  4. Implementation Protocol
  5. School Menu options
  6. Food Specification
  7. Utensils Specification
  8. Tuckshop Guidelines
  9. Gas safety booklet