MINISTRY of the Presidency, Director-General Joseph Harmon has announced that close to $45M has been awarded to catering services to activate the Breakfast Programme (BP) in Regions Five and Six in the new school term.

Harmon made the disclosure at his post-Cabinet press briefing at the Ministry of the Presidency on Thursday.
The BP is part of the National School Feeding Programme, and will be introduced to all

nursery schools, and Grades One and Two at the primary level.
During a meeting with regional officials and the potential caterers earlier this year, the caterers were briefed on how to respond to an ‘Expression of Interest’ for providing meals for the programme.

The ‘Expressions of Interest’ was placed in the media and stakeholders were asked to be on

the alert and submit their bids in a timely manner.
Deputy Regional Executive Officer of Region Five, Sherwyn Wellington had said the caterers’ contracts will be awarded by the Regional Procurement and Tender Administration Board (RPTAB) of the region.

He further noted that the regional administration will then acquire funds from the Ministry of Education to finance and manage the programme.
These steps were taken and Harmon disclosed that for Region Five, Glenda’s Catering Service was awarded a contract in excess of $17M and Tee Zee Food Service, close to $12M.

In Region Six, Green Apple was awarded in excess of $12M and Sharron Davis, close to $3.5M.

The total cost of the programme in both regions, amounted to G$44,931,900.
The breakfast will comprise of cereal, eggs, peanut butter and cheese sandwiches, mixed vegetables and a glass of Milo-flavoured milk with other nutritional elements.
The breakfast programme was piloted in Georgetown, Region Four, on the East Coast of Demerara and in Region Three in 2016.

“The breakfast programme is currently providing breakfast to children, in nearly all the schools in Georgetown, on a daily basis, and we are at Yarrowkabra on the Soesdyke/Linden Highway. We are halfway through for those children in schools in Region Three,” a Ministry of Education source had said.

The multi-million dollar programme is part of the Coalition Government’s effort to ensure that the nation’s children are fed and properly educated.