Government has revived its plans to make milk mandatory on schools’ menu. This decision follows a year long pilot program in 128 schools in western Uganda.

The plan is said to have been unveiled a year ago but faced resistance from parents who called it an unnecessary expense especially in times like now where families are struggling to have merely a meal a day.

Dr. Akankiza, The Acting Executive Director of Dairy Development Authority (DDA) says the schools milk feeding programme is part of a national policy on school feeding. “The programme is essential to address issues of poor nutrition among children and to stabilize farm gate milk prices as the country grapples with an export market made volatile by some neighbors’ protectionist practices” he added.

Kenya has been reported to deny Uganda milk processors export permits since start of May, leaving affected processors with an equivalent 23 million litres of processed milk.

The question of ‘who pays the bill’ still remains hanging and also the biggest reason as to why resistance is still strong. Dr. Akankiza faced with this question had this to say, “We are looking at three strategies to implement the program: Parent-led within private institutions and government-led within government aided  schools and in between, the processor gives a special package for schools at a subsidized rate.”

“The government has plans to give at least one liter of milk per day to each school going child. That implies 15 million litres per day because there are 15 million children going to school. That goes to about 3 billion litres of milk per year” – Maj. Gen. David Kyomukama, Permanent Secretary in The Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries.

The compulsory milk provision in schools draft policy is reportedly under scrutiny by government technocrats and other stakeholders like ministry of education and health to ensure it doe snot contradict with or duplicate existing laws, policies or Uganda’s international commitments.

The program is to be enrolled in Nursery, Primary and Secondary schools first then even to University and Tertiary Institutions.

courtesy photo.