28 May 2007

Calls for school lunch programme in Marshalls to be continued

3:08 pm on 28 May 2007

A study which shows half of the public school children in Marshall Islands are under-nourished is drawing calls for the continuation of a school lunch programme.

A pilot programme was set up in some state-funded schools on Majuro and the principal of Delap Elementary would like to see it continued and expanded.

Evelyn Konou says they have a lot of problems with absenteeism and many children come to school without having had breakfast and some also go without lunch.

She says they were able to provide three lunches a week and that's important when parents don't have the income for the food.

"I'd like the government to continue the lunch programme, lunch every day. They should have rice with vegetables and some meat, and fruit, and milk especially. Right now they don't drink milk at school."

Evelyn Konou.