For the 2026/2027 school year, 316 schools have registered for the national school meals programme. The presidential working group Schoolvoedingsproject aims to begin deliveries in the third or fourth week of October. This is according to chair Mireille Cramer in an interview with the Communicatie Dienst Suriname (CDS, Suriname’s government communication service).
According to the most recent registration, the programme involves approximately 34,000 breads and hot meals. The working group is currently finalising preparations and making adjustments based on experiences from the past school year.
An important change is the reduction in the delivery areas, referred to within the programme as lots. The number of lots has been expanded from 18 to 34. Consideration has been given to the number of daily deliveries per supplier and the location of the schools.
“By reducing the size of the lots, the number of daily deliveries per supplier becomes more manageable. At the same time, we have taken the logistical location of the schools into account. In doing so, we aim to maintain quality and ensure timely delivery,” Cramer said.
Hot meals also in Marowijne
The school meals programme is implemented nationwide. In Brokopondo and Sipaliwini, mainly hot meals are provided. Marowijne will be added to this in the current school year. In the other districts, the emphasis is on bread meals.
According to Cramer, the 2025/2026 school year was mainly focused on building up and monitoring the programme. This has given the working group a better understanding of the components that function well and of bottlenecks requiring adjustment.
More local products
The working group is also examining how locally produced food products can be given a greater place within the programme. According to Cramer, this is in line with President Jennifer Simons’ vision of stimulating local production.
In the past school year, a preparatory trial was carried out for this purpose at a selection of schools from various areas. More schools will be involved in the pilot during the new school year. Differences in nutritional needs will be taken into account.
“A child from the Latour area may have a different need than, for example, a child from Ma Retraite or the interior,” Cramer explained.
Food safety monitoring
Suppliers are each responsible for an assigned lot. Hygiene, quality and food safety are monitored during implementation. Together with the Bureau Openbare Gezondheidszorg (BOG, Bureau of Public Health), food safety training has been provided for suppliers and their staff. District commissioners are also involved in monitoring and supervision.
Cramer stressed that the programme must support children in attending school. “Let us all ensure that every child, regardless of his or her circumstances, has something to eat during the school day. Ultimately, we want children to be able to concentrate on learning and develop.”
