CLOSE to 300 000 needy school children across the country currently benefit from the Namibia School Feeding Programme (NSFP).

The feeding programme is government funded and provides mid-morning meals to school children.

This was revealed by former education quality assurance deputy director Gerrit Enssle on Tuesday evening during a dinner for hostel managers who are attending a week-long hostel management workshop, held at Keetmanshoop.

At the gala dinner the hostel managers bid farewell to Enssle who retired at the end of June this year.

Enssle urged his former colleagues to ensure that maize deliveries to various schools countrywide are completed on time, adding that school children benefiting from the NSFP do not attend school if there is no food for them.

Also speaking at the event was Karas governor's special adviser Lucia Basson who urged hostel managers to carry out their responsibilities with determination and commitment despite some challenges such as dilapidated hostels.

"Hostel caregivers and teachers have the greatest responsibility above any one else in the country. You care for the future of our nation. If you fail in this national duty, then we all fail together," Basson remarked.

In addition, Basson called on the ministry's administrative staff to provide the required support to hostel matrons, supervisors and institutional workers in order for them to concentrate on their core business of providing good care to learners living in school hostels.

"I equally call on our families, communities and civil society organisations to assist where you can to provide a care and support system to our children," Basson concluded.