MINERD resumes the School Breakfast program at public schools

MINERD resumes the School Breakfast program at public schools
Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo, January 15, 2013

The Ministry of Education (MINERD), through the National Institute of Student Welfare (INABIE), resumed the School Feeding Program (PAE for its acronym in Spanish)on Monday, January 14. The program will benefit1,473,222 students inthe early childhood and primary school levelsat 5,145 public schools across the country.

As part of these efforts, and according to a progress report from MINERD, during 2012 the PAE quality controls were reinforced with the cooperation of international organizations.

Mr. René Arturo Jáquez Gil, executive director of the INABIE, reported that for the 2012-2013 school year the PAE has invested four billion two hundred and fifty thousand eight hundred and twenty two pesos (RD$4,250,822.000).

JáquezGil said that for the school year that started on Monday, January 7, the INABIE has enriched the nutritional value of the menu items and the portions that are being offered to students in the national public educational system.

“In compliance with the policy of continuous improvement that has been set by Mrs. Josefina Pimentel, Minister of Education, at the INABIE, we are continuously strengthening the monitoring, follow upand evaluation systemsacross the country, both at the level of the schools and of the providers, in order to ensure the quality of the school feeding program,” according toMr. Jáquez Gil.

As part of these efforts, and according to a progress report from MINERD, during 2012 the PAE quality controls were reinforced with the cooperation of international organizations. During the January-June period,there were 27 inspections of dairy and fruit products processing plants located in Santo Domingo, San Francisco de Macorís and Azúa, and 135 inspections ofbakeries that supply solid products to the Marginal Urban PAE, and which are located throughout the country.

Also in 2012, the Second National Micronutrient Survey of the School Populationwas conducted, in order to assess the nutritional status of the students between the ages of 6 and 14 years who benefit from the PAE in its three forms, through clinical, biochemical and behavioralindicators, with a view to assessing the nutritional adequacy of the products of the program,according to international practices and recommendations.

Distribution of School Breakfast at the RepúblicaDominicana School in Villa Juana, National District


The School Breakfast program benefits 1,473,222students of the early childhood and primary school levels.