The Ministry of Education lunch program is parent-subsidized student lunch where parents pay a quarter dollar or 25 cents a day for their children’s meal. “But some of the parents cannot afford to pay,” said Alvino Akenty, Principal of Meyuns Elementary School.
Out of the 180 students enrolled at Meyuns Elementary, 15 used to come to class without lunch. Some parents, according to Akenty, prepare packed lunch or bento for their kids if they can’t afford to pay for the lunch program. But the 15 students used to go to class without anything.
“I keep telling parents that this is much cheaper for them to pay for only 25 cents rather than prepare bento,” explained Akenty. The lunch consists mainly of rice, meat and fruit.
“We cannot constantly subsidize,” Akenty said. “If nobody gives food to these children, they don’t eat at all.” But since they children are as young as first graders, the principal said, they know that they need to go out of their way to find some help for them.
“I think parents should know that their first priority is their children” shared Akenty. “They are still young, and we need to nourish them.”
Akenty was grateful for Milad ‘L Dil’s help. “They were the ones who called us and offered to help,” shared Akenty.
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