A collaboration between The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Tonga’s education ministry is helping provide breakfast for thousands of school-aged children in that island nation.
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In response to various studies emphasizing the significant role of breakfast in improving children's learning abilities and behavioral patterns at school, the Tonga Ministry of Education and Training (MET), initiated the supplemental Free Breakfasts for Schools programme in July 2023 for all schools, covering students from early childhood education through Form 2.
The programme began the last week of August 2023 and ran through the end of the school year in November 2023.
Little Tongan girl eating breakfast
A young Tongan student enjoy's her free breakfast before starting her school day.The breakfast programme was warmly received throughout the country and has been continued into the current school year. In January 2024, the Church of Jesus Christ added financial support to this popular programme.
“The Church of Jesus Christ is grateful to add our support to this significant educational initiative,” said Elder Sione F. Tuone, Area Seventy in Tonga.
The national breakfast programme serves as a highly efficient method for alleviating hunger among vulnerable and low-income children, while simultaneously improving nutrition, students’ attendance, attentiveness, and academic achievement. Under the programme, breakfast is provided every Tuesday and Thursday, alternating between cereal with milk and fresh fruit.
Approximately 21,000 students from 168 schools across Tongatapu and the outer islands of Tonga are participating in the programme.
So far, the programme has shown positive outcomes, showcasing improvements in students' nutrition, health, performance and attendance.