 Hello and welcome to another edition of Let's Talk. My name is Fenel Neptune. In today's broadcast, we speak about the school feeding program and book Bursary. And with me to discuss this topic is the coordinator for Student Welfare, Meriam, Henville, and stock people, Lennard Stalsy. Welcome to the program. Thank you. Thank you. The school feeding program, of course, is one of the social assistance programs of the Ministry of Education. Can you tell us more about this program and what students that it catered to? Basically, the school feeding program started in St. Lucia in 1984 under a funding agent named WFP, meaning World Food Program. World Food Program used to give the children snacks such as bread with corn beef, bread with beef loaf, and a glass of milk. WFP stayed in St. Lucia for at least eight years. After they pulled out, another funding agent came on board, named Stiebecks. When Stiebecks came on board, they saw that there was a need to give the children a hot meal at midday, so we decided to go that direction. We personally find that the hot meal has been doing very well. It has been serving its purpose, and we are trying to continue it. The objective of the program, basically, is to protect vulnerable children from hunger and also increase school enrollment and attendance. We also want to improve the nutritional health of the students and to eliminate regular attendance in schools and also to introduce nutritional education. Okay. And in terms of the meals, what type of meals do the students really get? How does the Ministry ensure that it's a nutritious meal? Okay. So all schools with a menu and a guideline whereby we go to the schools to ensure that the children have served the right meals. Okay. Okay. And we work with Ministry of Health to develop that menu. It is not just education, but we partner with Ministry of Health, the nutritionist, and we design that menu to ensure that it is in keeping with the regulations. Okay. Okay. And with this meal being given and this program being there for so long, what students actually benefit from this program? Is it primary school, infant, or is it secondary schools? The secondary schools were brought on board, but basically the program was for the primary schools. We are trying to target the vulnerable children, but everybody can come on board. Great. And who is eligible for the school feeding program? Students. It is catered for students who are on the privilege, which means that at home they do not have the luxury of having a meal every day. Sometimes they would come to school without that meal breakfast, whether it be breakfast or lunch. So it was designed to cater for these students to meet their needs to ensure that they are at school. They contribute towards the program in the form of $1, those who can. If you cannot afford the principal who knows the background of the student, they would be put on the list to receive that meal. But those who can afford still partake in the school feeding program. Great. So it means that the selection of the student happens at the school? Yes, by the principal, because they have first hand knowledge as to what exists at the child's home. Great. And what is the process like as it relates to applying for one child to be on the school feeding? We know that it's done for the school. But can you tell us more about the process? If somebody wants to actually get this child on the school feeding program? Well everything happens at the school. The principal would be approached and after having discussions that child would be enrolled and on a daily basis they would be provided with that meal, providing that they pay the dollar if they can afford it. Okay. And how many schools in St. Lucia are benefitting from the school feeding program right now? Basically we have 79 schools on the feeding program. We have 71 primary schools along with eight special schools. The special schools until the five special education schools and we have the care schools, Odson and Slere, Uptown, Uptown, sorry, and Donato School. Great. And over the years with this program happening, what has the feedback been like? The feedback has been great because the attendance is very high. You know we have two sections where we have the needy children that comes in and they pay and we have another section we call the non-needy children. These children don't contribute. The children that contribute is just the needy ones. They come in, they pay a dollar per child, per day, and the non-paying children they don't pay. These are the vulnerable ones. They are identified by the principal and the teachers. Great. And besides this social assistance program of the Ministry of Education, there's also the book bursary which is a public assistance program. Can you tell us a little more about this program? Okay. Before we head into the book bursary, we forgot about the secondary school, where there's a pilot program at four secondary schools, Vocal Secondary, Barbono, Ager, and Beanfield, where it was established by this administration to have that pilot done at the four schools where 50 students are selected at each school. The meals are purchased and the children are fed. And they have indicated that it's a very good initiative and would like it to continue because the children are benefiting. There was a high level of absenteeism that has been showing signs of improvement. Children are eager to get to school knowing that there is a meal that they can get when they get to that school because sometimes they live home without anything. So knowing that they can receive that meal, they are eager to come to school. Okay. But would you say that the government, while the Ministry of Education is actually looking to do the school feeding program in more secondary schools around the island given that the feedback is really good with the four piloted schools? Yes. This is the plan. And we must also remember that at the primary schools, the children will get in the meal and graduating from primary school to the secondary school, that is cut off. So with the implementation at the secondary school, it is something that government can't consider once funds are available. But the initiative is a good one and we are hoping that it continues in the future. Wonderful. While we are due for a break, when we return, we'll continue our discussion as it relates to the book bus reprogram. Hold on to that thought. So we will be back with that discussion. Well, we will continue our discussion in a bit about the book bus reprogram. We'll be back in a moment. Everyone says counseling, counseling, counseling. We don't have the right chance. After my fate, I will never be able to do it again. Maliglasia, just yesterday you asked me advice about your husband and we spent over an hour on the cell. That's counseling. I want to do it again. Just think about it, Iglasia. When you have a difficulty with someone, you ask your friends for advice to help you to deal with your problems. But wouldn't you prefer getting advice from a professional counselor? I hope you're not one of those who think counseling is for crazy people. When you're situation keep being wet, I'm going to use professional counseling. My manager is here at the doctor's visit. Don't you know the Ministry of Public Service has an employee assistance program they call EAP, which is offering six free counseling sessions for government employees. Iglasia, why don't you take advantage of it? Really? It's free. Let me often let me call the EAP unit ASAP, because I want professional, did you say free? Free counseling. But Iglasia, wow, who is the counseling, sir? Call the EAP unit at 468-2269. EAP Works, let it work for you. Welcome back to Let's Talk. We will continue our discussion with Miriam Henville and Leonard Storzy on the school feeding program and also book bursary. We just had a very fruitful discussion as it relates to schools feeding programs. So right now we're going to have a little bit more discussion as it relates to the book bursary. And of course the Ministry of Education has this book bursary program, which is a public assistance program. Can you tell us a little more about this program? The book bursary was established to again meet the needs of the vulnerable, the most needy ones in the society, where the parents are unable to perform the basic textbooks and workbooks. At present we have approximately 1,900 students benefiting from this initiative. The program provides all textbooks and workbooks as on the Ministry of Education book list. So any additional book which may be prescribed by a school, we do not provide that book. But whatever is established on the government of St. Lucia book list, these are the textbooks we provide. So there is maths, there is English, social studies and general science. Okay and what is the target audience for the book bursary program? What students does it cater to? To the infant and primary school students only, not secondary school. So if you are in grade 1, grade K to 6, we provide you textbooks and workbooks once you qualify for the assistance. Okay so is it something that the Ministry is looking to do in the future to cater to secondary school students? The secondary school was in existence and it has been disestablished as a result of a few hiccups. So I'm not too sure whether it will be reestablished in the future. But the primary school has been ongoing for over 10 years. Okay and why is it important that the Ministry of Education undertake such an initiative? Well again we want to see that students receive a proper education. They are furnished with the tools we know amongst ourselves. There are some who cannot afford while some can. So we target those who cannot afford the basic for their children. Okay and what is the process like for book bursary every year? Okay to receive a bursary from the Ministry, the district representatives are issued annually with bursaries to give out to their constituents. Also we get recommendations from principals. These principals have first hand knowledge as to who the students are, who are in need. So apart from the district representatives submitting their list, the principals submit a list as well for the request to have the child placed on the bursary program. Okay but does it also involve the parliamentary representative sending in a list as well of students who are in need of the book bursary? Yes we issue them with a quota annually to be distributed amongst their constituents. And what are the requirements for a person as it relates to book bursary? Besides being needy, is there any other requirement that is needed for it to be eligible for a book bursary? Well the main focus is to target those who are needy. There are other people who come based on their discussion and what they relate to us, we use our discretion and we include them on the program. But the main focus is for the needy students. Great and when is usually the distribution of books every year? From last year 2017 it was decentralized which means that we went to each education district office. The Ministry of Education has eight district offices so we visited each one to distribute and collect the books. It is usually done during the months of July, onward September, October but the peak periods are July to August. So in the past it was done differently? In the past it was one central location at the RC Boy School where you came in, you dropped the books and you came back another day to collect the books. But as it's been decentralized you bring back the books and you get the books on the same day. Great and any final words? Well we are hoping that this year with the decentralization again we are hoping to commence on July 9th starting off in Souffre and we expect that the parents and students return the books in a good condition because a lot has been invested into providing with the books to the students. So we would like them to appreciate what is being done and when the books are returned to return it in good condition so that somebody else can use the book. Wonderful and Mr. Dorsi can you tell us how a person can contact the Student Support Services Unit? Okay if you go on the directory you will see it is listed, Student Support Service, the Student Welfare. You can either contact us there or you come to our department at San Susi which is District 2 Office, Education District 2 Office. You can contact us right there. We are located on the ground floor or you could even call us at 468-5441-5443-5442 or we would like to have a personal touch or personal relationship. You could come in and we could have a discussion to either speak about the book bus three or the school feeding program. We are here to serve so we appreciate you walking in or calling us. Wonderful thank you so much. Well I want to thank you so much for being part of our program today. It was definitely a pleasure. I want to wish you all the best. Thank you. Well that's how we come to the end of Let's Talk for today. On behalf of the entire production team I am Fenel Neptune. Thanks for watching. Until next time. Let's talk. Let's talk.