The failure of the education department in KwaZulu-Natal to ensure the smooth running of a school feeding scheme has a damning psychological and physical effect on pupils and their poverty-stricken families, a researcher has warned.
The province announced an investigation into the collapse of the food programme after suppliers failed to initially prepare and distribute food services to around 2.4 million pupils across over 5 400 schools at the start of the term on 12 April.
"It is absolutely shocking that we find ourselves in this position," said Equal Education researcher Stacey Jacobs.