A TOTAL of 20,000 students in 78 schools in Tawi-Tawi will benefit from the school-based feeding program to be implemented this year by the Bangsamoro Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education.

The MBHTE launched the program at the Provincial Housing Laboratory School on Saturday, March 19.

PHLS Principal Jeba Jalim said the program will provide each pupil with 18 kilos of iron fortified rice, a pack of anchovy and a pack of mung beans which will be released in three tranches beginning March.

“The second tranche will be in June and third tranche will be in May this year,” Jalim said.

The program aims to address the problem on malnourished pupils to improve their attendance and performance in school.

“This observation is based from the experience from the conducted SBFP program in 2016,” Jalim said.

Meanwhile, Schools Division Superintendent Dr. Fatima Abubakar said that MBHTE Tawi-Tawi will support the full implementation of the SBF program.

Abubakar thanked MBHTE Minister Mohager Iqbal for the regional launch of the school-based feeding program.