BY BEN BILUA
Gizo
THREE secondary schools in Isabel Province are expected to adopt the School Meal Programme as part of ongoing efforts to improve health and educational outcomes of students.
Senior Education Officer and School Inspector for the Isabel Education Authority, Reuben Dotho, confirmed that Sir Dudley Tuti College, Dr Hendry Welcman College and Allardyce Provincial Secondary School have been selected to participate in the programme.
He said the necessary arrangements have already been completed, although the official rollout date for the programme in the three schools is yet to be announced.
According to Dotho, the School Meal Programme will play a significant role to enhance the health, education and overall well-being of children in Solomon Islands.
“In many rural and remote communities, access to nutritious food can be challenging due to poverty, geographical isolation, and the impacts of climate change and natural disasters.
“A well-managed school meal programme helps address these challenges while supporting children’s learning and development,” he said.
The School Meal Programme is currently being piloted in Isabel and Western Provinces through funding provided by the Government and people of Japan.
The initiative is supported by a US$3.4 million grant, equivalent to approximately SBD28.7 million, and is being implemented through a partnership between UNICEF Pacific and the Solomon Islands Government.
The project was officially launched in February 2025 under the theme, “Eating Local, Eating Healthy.”
The programme aims to improve the nutritional status, health and educational outcomes of school children by providing healthy, locally produced meals while at the same time strengthening local food systems and agriculture.
The pilot programme will provide valuable lessons for the development of a future national school meal programme that could eventually benefit more than 30,000 children throughout Solomon Islands.
Education authorities believe the initiative will contribute to better school attendance, improved concentration in classrooms and enhanced learning outcomes for students, particularly those living in rural and remote communities.
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