Over 23,000 candidates sitting for the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education national exams in Mombasa have benefited from a free lunch program courtesy of Mvita MP Abdulswamad Nassir.
The program is sponsored by the Sharrif Nassir foundation and will see students from all the 380 public and private schools in Mombasa sitting for the exams receive the food packages.
The KCPE exams which began on Monday are expected to end on Wednesday.
Addressing the media at one of the pick-up center in Nyali constituency, the Mp said that he decided to expand the program to other sub-counties following requests from primary school heads.
The program has been going on in his Mvita constituency for the last 12 years.
“All students sitting for the KCPE exams will receive their lunch package regardless whether it is a public or private school, we want them to have the energy to tackle their afternoon papers,” said Nassir.
Nassir said that the food had been approved by nutritionists in the country as he vowed to offer a balanced diet to the candidates during the exams period.
He stated that the program was possible due to the close partnership and engagements with the ministry of education through out the 12 years in Mvita.
“I have been undertaking the KCPE lunch program even before I became the Mvita MP. This year we decided to expand it to cover the entire county after receiving several requests from school heads outside Mvita,”
The food package includes eggs, buns, a banana or apple, packet of milk, salt and water.
“We are providing the students with a balanced diet to ensure that they have the energy to tackle the afternoon papers, ,” said Nassir.
Nassir stated that no money from the Mvita NG-CDF office had been used to cover the cost of the program saying that it was all funded by his foundation.
“I want to categorically state that no public funds was used to sponsor the program, all the monies spent was from the Sharrif Nassir Foundation,” he said.
The foundation he said had partnered with Jomvu MP Badi Twalib to implement the program in Jomvu Constituency.
“We have also partnered with Hon Mishi in Likoni, Said Salim ‘Saedo’ in Nyali and Goshi Juma I Changamwe to ensure the success of this program,: he added.
Nassir added that talks were currently underway with the education ministry to provide lunch to secondary school candidates expected to sit for their national exams from next week.
“I know KCSE candidates have a single paper per day, but if parents allow it for their students to spend an extra hour or two after exams, then we might be able to offer them counseling and get them prepped up for the next days paper before leaving school,” he said.
