Secretary of Education of Boyacá actively participated in the meeting.
Bogotá, June 26, 2024. (UACP). During the development of the Board of Directors of the Food for Learning Unit (UApA), led by the Minister of Education, Aurora Vergara Figueroa, the Secretary of Education of Boyacá, Eddye Yarick Reyes Grisales, participated.
During the day, the progress made by the School Feeding Program (PAE) in the Government of President Gustavo Petro was highlighted.
“As a representative of my counterparts in the country before the Board of Directors of the UAPA, I thank the Ministry of National Education for the approach and support they have given to the departments. We will be working hand in hand with the director, the ministry, the Board of Directors and the national government to make the requests of the territorial entities a reality in order to provide school feeding to all students in the country,” said Reyes.
Board of Directors announcements in figures:
At the event held in the country’s capital, the notable increase in PAE coverage since 2022 was announced. In that year, the figure of 5.8 million benefited students was reached, which represents 76.4% of boys, girls , adolescents and young people enrolled in the official educational system.
Due to the policies implemented to combat hunger during the Government of Change, in just one year an additional increase of 3 percentage points in coverage was achieved, reaching 79.4% at the end of 2023. This means that 5.9 million students were benefited from the School Feeding Plan.
“The nation’s commitment is to ensure that the PAE has a more decentralized operation to strengthen the capacities of territorial entities. We have already reached 79.4% coverage at the national level and the goal is to reach 95% in 2026,” he stated. Minister Aurora Vergara Figueroa.
In turn, the director of the UApA, Luis Fernando Correa Serna, pointed out that, looking to 2026, the Ministry of Education, together with that unit, are strengthening the PAE on different fronts, as follows:
– Greater co-financing for territorial entities. – Strengthening the PAE+, a strategy during student breaks to bring food baskets and prepare them at home for students in the 109 PDET municipalities.
– Greater collaboration with surveillance and control entities, including the PAE student controllers.
“These and other actions ensure the sustainability and quality of the program,” Correa assured.
The indicators are clear and reveal the national government’s commitment to children, adolescents and young people:
- Of the 459,574 indigenous boys and girls enrolled in the official educational system, 417,170 are beneficiaries of the PAE. This represents 90.8% coverage, exceeding the current national average of 79.4%.
- Among the 430,015 children of the Black, Afro-Colombian, Raizal and Palenquera (NARP) population enrolled, 375,841 also receive PAE benefits, reaching a coverage of 87.4 percent.
- In the case of migrant children, of the 566,431 from Venezuela who have enrolled in the official system, 452,425 are beneficiaries of the PAE. This is equivalent to 79.9 percent coverage.
- The 12,278 boys and girls from other countries who are enrolled also find support in the PAE. Of them, 9,684 are beneficiaries, with coverage of 78.9%.
- The PAE, during school recess, reaches nearly 600,000 students from 109 PDET municipalities during the current mid-year vacation period.
- The PAE employs 48,574 food handlers. Of them, 47,739 are women, representing close to 98% of the workforce. They play a crucial role in preparing the food provided through the program.
These achievements have been possible thanks to the determined investment of the national Government. In 2023, 1.5 billion pesos were allocated to co-finance the PAE in the 97 Certified Territorial Entities (CTE). Furthermore, in 2024, the investment was increased to 2 billion pesos.
These figures mark a historic milestone in the School Feeding Program and reflect the firm commitment to the education and well-being of children in Colombia.
A better PAE is possible
Fulfilling the mandate of President Gustavo Petro to advance a PAE that offers children hot and prepared food in the same school institution, progress is reflected from 57%, in 2022, to 63%, in 2023.
In another aspect, the UAPA has articulated efforts to improve the quality and safety of food in the operation of the PAE. To this end, it has signed alliances with Sena, Invima and Icontec with the purpose of developing capacities among the different actors involved in the PAE.
Finally, the School Feeding Program Information System (SiPAE) continues to be consolidated through training for the ETCs, deployment to the territories, with pilots and the implementation of the first phase of the tool in the 97 Certified Territorial Entities. .
Finally, within the framework of the Board of Directors, the director of the Food to Learn Unit presented the budgetary needs of the PAE to meet the program’s goals, receiving favorable opinions from the different members.
(End/Mineducation – Juan Diego Rodríguez Pardo-UACP).
Administrative Unit of Communications and Protocol.
Boyacá Governorate.
