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- This as suppliers fail to deliver on time
Ngambao Junior Secondary School in Seronga has for the past two weeks been experiencing severe food shortage due to delayed food supply by engaged suppliers. The situation has severely disadvantaged students who have during the said period gone without food. The most affected are those in boarding.
The School Head, Keithele Setlhapelo has confirmed that the past 2 weeks have been a struggle as students did not have enough food in the kitchen. He revealed that day scholars were only provided with breakfast then dismissed during lunch time so that the little food that is left is given to those who are boarding.
He said the challenge was compounded by the fact that students were writing examinations this week, and need to be in school throughout the day to attend other classes and study session therefore cannot be sent home at lunch time.
However, Setlhapelo revealed that suppliers have recently brought up a number of excuses for their failure to deliver on time and to specifications, excuses that have delayed the food delivery. Among the reasons given by the suppliers for failure to deliver on time he said was that the supplies were not enough to fill up trucks, and also that food price has skyrocketed and they were not making any profit.
That as it may, Setlhapelo indicated that they have recently received food hampers from the Okavango Community Trust (OCT) and Cameroon Dina Foundation to augment the situation. He revealed that OCT donated a food hamper worth P10 000 while Cameroon Dina Foundation donated a food hamper worth P11 300 and a cow, which the children are currently surviving on.
Seronga-Gunotsoga Councillor, who is also the Chairperson of the education and health committee Boipuso Mangurunga has noted that authorities are fully aware of the situation at the school, adding that efforts are being made to address it.
He posited that the unfortunate effects of the shortage, especially to students staying in the school was that such issues have the potential to distract the learning process and can lead to the poor performance of the students.
