State Secretary Advocates Creation of School Meal Committees in Municipalities

Malanje: The Secretary of State for Pre-school and Primary Education, Pacheco Francisco, advocated in Malanje city the establishment of food committees within municipalities to manage the School Feeding Programme. According to Angola Press News Agency, Pacheco Francisco addressed the media following a multisectoral ministerial meeting led by the Minister of Territorial Administration, Daniel Félix Neto. The discussion highlighted the potential future implementation of these committees to improve the programme's management and oversight. These committees are envisioned to include the Municipal Directorates of Agriculture and Health, which will focus on local food production and student nutrition, respectively. Furthermore, a Provincial School Food Council is proposed to oversee the initiative across the province's 27 municipalities. The Secretary emphasized the necessity for government collaboration with reputable companies to ensure the programme's success and address students' dietary needs. This initiat ive is already underway in some provinces and is expected to benefit local agricultural producers by sourcing food products locally. Pacheco Francisco highlighted that these efforts aim to enhance students' interest in school, emotional wellbeing, and learning capabilities. The School Feeding Programme, established by Presidential Decree 83/25 on April 15, replaces the previously distributed school meals in select primary schools. The Secretary was part of a ministerial delegation visiting Malanje and Quéssua to evaluate the progress of the Integrated Municipal Intervention Plan and the New Political-Administrative Division's implementation and impact.