Kindly be informed that the
programme of the first week of school re-opening
is scheduled as follows:
| Date |
Activity |
Time |
Name of
School/Clinic |
Remarks |
08
January 2007
|
Food
Production
Initiative
Ad hoc Senior
Management Committee |
08H00
14H00 |
Mdumiseni Primary
School
Delmas Ext 3 Clinic
Delmas
Nkangala Region
Mdumiseni Primary School |
Members
of Senior management
& other members of Social Services
Committee will attend
to cultivate food gardens |
09
January 2007
|
Food
Initiative Programme |
08H00 |
Davel
Combined School
Davel Clinic
Davel
Gert Sibande Region |
Members
fo senior management and other members
of
the Social Services
Committee
to cultivate food gardens |
10
January 2007
|
Re-opening of schools
|
|
Mzinoni
S School A.D. Nkosi S School
Ikhethelo S School
Bethal: Gert Sibande Region
|
Premier
TSP Makwetla
MEC MSA Masango
Mayor Andries Gamede will pay support
visit these schools |
11
January 2007
|
Re-opening of schools
|
|
Daggakraal P school
Nalithuba S School
Seme S School
Wakkerstroom/ Mkhondo
|
Premier
TSP Makwetla
MEC MSA Masango
Mayor Andries Gamede will pay support
visit these schools |
12
January 2007
|
Food
Production
Initiative |
08H00 |
Ndlavela Primary
School
Tonga
Ehlanzeni Region
Sihlangu Clinic |
Members
of senior management and other members
of
the social Services
Committee
to cultivate food gardens |
Food production Initiative
The Mpumalanga Social Service Council Committee is
encouraging all schools and communities in general
to take part in the Food Production Initiative. This
is intended to entrench a Culture of Food Production
for a better life .It also complements all other
initiatives aimed at fighting poverty and improving
the environment.
Studies conducted by institutions such as the Food
&Agriculture Organisations, UNESCO and the World
Health Organisation, show that hunger, nutrition and
poverty are strongly correlated. The same studies
note that in the World as a whole, hunger impacts
negatively to the attainment of Millennium
Development goals, namely universal primary
education, gender equity, child mortality, maternal
health,etc.
These studies and other Government efforts such as
Masibuyele Emasimini Programme by the Department of
Agriculture and Land administration necessitated the
Social Service Council Committee to add its voice to
the call for the establishment of Food Production
Initiative.
According to the 2002 Food and Agriculture
Organisation report of the state of food insecurity
in the World, three most critical deficiencies for
South Africa are Vitamin A, Iodine and Iron. For
example a deficiency in Vitamin A leads to poor
child growth and development, increased risk for
infection, and may lead to blindness or eye damage.
It is on these grounds that communities are urged to
cultivate crops that address such identified
deficiencies. Crops such carrots, pumpkin, spinach,
sweetpotatoes and butternut are crops that are rich
in Vitamin A and can be easily cultivated in school
and home gardens.
The Social Service Council Committee in
collaboration with the Department of Land
Administration and the Agricultural Research Council
will assist in 2007 schools, clinics and home based
care centres to roll up the initiative.
As per Government’s developmental approach of
bringing services to local communities , the Social
Services Council Committee calls upon communities to
participate in the Food Production Initiative;
through their household food gardens.
It should be noted that this initiative will further
augment and complement the National Schools
Nutrition Programme.
It will also assist in improving school attendance
and the performance of learners and of significance
is that it forms part of the environmental
education. School gardens can be used as a learning
and assessment resource. Subjects like mathematics,
science, economics and agricultural science does and
can integrate easily with school food gardens. In
this case, nutrients, calculations, layout and
pruning can be taught using food gardens.
The Social Service Council Committee sends a clarion
call to every member of our society to embrace this
initiative by playing a practical role, actively and
purposefully participate to ensure the success of
this Initiative.
All media is invited
Issued by Media Liaison Officer; Mr Hlahla Ngwenya
|
