The Centre of Excellence brought the debate on public policies to combat hunger and poverty to the Forum on Partnerships and Strategies for Municipal Education 2026, held on 4 and 5 February at the headquarters of the Court of Auditors of the Municipalities of Pará, in Belém.
With the aim of strengthening education in 20 municipalities in the state of Pará, the event brought together mayors, municipal education and health managers, members of municipal education councils and education committees of municipal councils.
Invited as a panellist, the director of the Centre of Excellence, Daniel Balaban, spoke on the 5th about public policies to combat hunger, with emphasis on the National School Feeding Programme (PNAE). ‘Our school feeding programme is considered a model for the world. Investing in its constant improvement means strengthening education, with concrete results in the formation of generations,’ he said.
The president of the National Fund for Education Development (FNDE), Fernanda Pacobayba, was present and spoke about FNDE’s strategic projects for improving education. The nutritionist from the Centre of Excellence’s Programmes unit, Sineide Neres, also attended the event and participated in meetings to strengthen strategic initiatives for school feeding in the state of Pará.
School cooks in PA
With the aim of highlighting the work of school cooks, the state of Pará was represented on the reality show Escola de Sabores (School of Flavours), a partnership between the Centre of Excellence, FNDE and the Brazilian Cooperation Agency, broadcast on TV Band.
From Marajó Island, school cooks Genilma Souza Silva and Osvaldino Teófilo da Conceição participated. From the municipality of Afuá, school cook Maria das Graças Pereira participated. The programme will air its last episode on 7 February at 12 noon on TV Band.