The Gauteng department of education GDE has moved to clear concerns about late payments to service providers under its extended national school nutrition programme NSNP while tightening action against illegal schools in the province.
The department said while the NSNP, run by the department of basic education, continues to provide uninterrupted meals for pupils in no-fee schools, Gauteng had expanded the initiative to cover vulnerable children in some fee-paying schools.
The GDE took a progressive decision to establish the provinces extended NSNP. The provincially funded programme ensures identified pupils in quintile 4 and 5 schools, particularly those from disadvantaged communities neighbouring the schools, also receive daily nutritious meals, it said.