Indonesian Ambassador  Witjaksono Adji and Mombasa governor Abdulswamad Nassir at Tononoka Hall on Saturday /JOHN CHESOLI

The Mombasa government is planning to provide free daily lunch to all day secondary school students, a programme expected to benefit nearly 40,000 learners in 137 schools.

Governor Abdulswamad Nassir said the county is navigating legal hurdles to implement the initiative, which would cover 32,285 learners in 64 public schools and 7,651 learners in 73 private schools.

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Speaking at Tononoka Hall during a career day organised by Nurturing Stars Organisation, he said the programme aims to improve education standards while addressing security concerns.

“If learners are at home due to feeding costs, they are at risk of idleness, which can lead to crime,” he noted.

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Although counties constitutionally handle ECDEs and TVETs, Nassir said there is a legal path for the county to support secondary school feeding.

The county currently feeds more than 12,000 ECDE learners daily and provides free learning materials and education programmes.

Previously, a Sh5,000 per learner capitation for day secondary students was stopped by the Controller of Budget.

Nassir said he is finalising legal approvals and requested the Education ministry’s response to allow the county to take over school feeding programmes.

He said teachers should focus on teaching, while feeding would be managed by county-contracted suppliers.

The governor warned that learners out of school are vulnerable to crime and antisocial behaviour. He highlighted the broader social benefits of ensuring students remain in class, describing the cost of preventive education as far cheaper than rehabilitating youth involved in crime.

Local MPs, including Mvita MP Mohamed Machele and Changamwe MP Omar Mwinyi, urged the revival of tuition centres and youth employment programmes to keep learners engaged during school holidays.

Indonesian Ambassador Witjaksono Adji praised the initiative, noting that education is vital for nation-building, skill development and character formation among youth.