More than 6,200 students in over 52 schools who were affected by Tropical Cyclone Yasa and Ana will be provided with meals for the next three months.

Education Minister Rosy Akbar says they are currently working with the Australian Government through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to provide food assistance to the schools.

This includes 19 schools in the Western division and 33 schools in the Northern division.

Akbar says 23 of these are boarding schools.

She says under this program they will assist 6,280 students in the Western and Northern divisions with meals.

“This program was initiated after we identified schools and communities that had their farms destroyed after TC Yasa and Ana. This program will go on for 12 weeks and will allow communities to normalize their farming resources. We have also engaged members of the community such as the mothers club and village groups in assisting, preparing, and serving meals to our children.”

She adds so far this year they have assisted more than 10,000 students with school bags and stationaries.

Akbar says 93 students in the Northern division were assisted with shoes and uniforms.