Lessons on World Milk Day
19 September 2019
On 11 September 2019, the Western Cape Education Department, in collaboration with the Department of Basic Education (DBE) and Woolworths celebrated the annual World School Milk Day (WSMD) at Masiphumelele Primary School in Khayelitsha, Cape Town.
The initiative first began in 2000 by the United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organisation and has become an annual event held in many countries throughout the world.
The 2019 WSMD, celebrated under the theme “Dairy gives you go”, highlighted that “milk and other dairy products are a great source of protein, calcium and energy to help Learner’s bodies grow.”
Lindelwa Dlulemnyango-Sopotela, WCED Director for the National School Nutrition Programme, said that the event was being hosted to “create awareness on the importance of drinking milk to learners”.
Under the WCED’s School Nutrition programme, learners currently receive milk once a week. Over 480 000 learners benefit from the WCED’s school nutrition programme at 1006 schools.
The nutritional value of meals has increased since 2011 with the inclusion of fresh fruit and vegetables, tinned fish and lentils, and milk.
At the event Woolworths presented an Education Programme which highlights health and fitness. Learners were taught how to focus on exercises that will assist with bone strength and density; as well as, a class lesson on nutrition which spoke on the benefits of milk and the role that calcium plays in the body. Learners also received a meal pack with milk.
Learners also showcased their acting skills – watch these four learners entertainingly describe to their fellow learners the benefits of milk!
“Don’t you want to taste it”?!