The Paradox of the Private School Feeding Programs

Kenya has previously enjoyed the national milk program, Maziwa ya Nyayo where children in the public primary schools received milk during school that helped with attendance and nutrition. Today, Nairobi’s Dishi na County is serving a 5sh meal for children in public schools.

Some have emerged to criticize the program, raising issues such as public/private bias and taxpayer resource use and sustainability which have strong justification.

From research evidence, the program in general is resource-demanding, a reason for its failure in the Moi era. The private schools on the other hand are resourced based on the financial capability of parents. A private school can have 2500sh per term per child for meals while another boasts of double the amount. This significantly affects the quality and quantity of food served. Parents are opting to take private education as an alternative that’s not always perfect. Therefore, private schools should be part of the conversations because all children are Kenyan citizens. A broader conversation is necessary in bridging the gaps between private and public school education.