Prime Minister, the Hon. Philip Davis along with Minister of Education and Technical and Vocational Training, the Hon. Glenys Hanna Martin and Minister of Social Services, Information and Broadcasting, the Hon. Myles Laroda visited the Cleveland Eneas Primary School on Thursday to mark one million meals distributed to public school students through the National School Breakfast Program.
According to Minister Hanna-Martin the program is leading to better attendance and academic performance. She told reporters, “no one thought that when we started with the eight schools that we would be here today with all of these schools, 115, a million breakfasts, no one thought. They might have said it’s a gimmick, it’s not a gimmick it’s a commitment to the children of this nation.”
Director of Education, Dominique McCartney-Russell was also on hand for the occasion. She shared her satisfaction with the program. “We are really excited to partner with parents who do not have to provide the breakfast for their children. We’re in the pre-schools. We’re in the primary schools. We’re in special schools, the central secondary schools and all of our students love the program.”
McKinney-Russell said the program also promotes social skills. She pointed out that students were seated and communicating with each other.
Prime Minister Davis also spoke highly of the National School Breakfast Program. He said, “it is our view that no child should start the morning hungry. The program has been proving beneficial. We still have a lot to do. We have improved grades, we have improved attendance and there’s still a lot more to be done.”
Minister Laroda, who also serves as the Member of Parliament for Pinewood, where the school is located, echoed the sentiments of both Minister Hanna Martin and Prime Minister Davis.
Approximately 20,000 public school students currently benefit from the National School Breakfast Program. Minister Hanna Martin hopes to further expand the program to junior and senior high schools in the country.
