Schools receive fruit amid cost cutting complaints

The government has started distributing fruit once a week to 130 primary schools in a scheme co-financed by the EU but which has drawn local criticism because it fell victim to cost cutting.

€300,000 have been allocated to the scheme, aimed at promoting the consumption of fruit. Some 30,000 primary school children will receive the fruit once a week in recyclable plastic containers.

Resources Minister George Pullicino distributed some of the fruit himself this morning when he called at St Monica School, Gzira. He also spoke to the children about the benefits of eating fruit and shared some jokes with them.

The government admitted last year that the €1.2 million which had already been earmarked for the scheme in the 2009 Budget was no longer available due to various cost-cutting measures.

The EU School Fruit Scheme which should have seen fruit distributed every day, was therefore scaled back to a weekly service.

The EU is providing €226,000.

A spokesman for the ministry said the frequency of food distribution varied among EU countries, with some also providing the fruit once a week.