Government is not taking seriously the problem of children being sent to school without breakfast, it was alleged this week.Shadow Race Relations Minister told in the House of Assembly: ?I don?t think you understand the depth of this problem.?

His UBP colleague , added: ?The Government seems to be treating this very, very lightly.?

The problem was first revealed in October 2004, when former teacher Michael Charles, general secretary of Bermuda Union of Teachers, told a radio programme that some teachers and school counsellors were feeding and clothing needy children.

Mr. Lister, delivering his Budget brief for the Ministry of Education on Monday, said he had received reports of youngsters being sent to school not having eaten on a morning.

He said: ?I was informed that some children were coming to school without breakfast. I investigated and found out that there was some truth to that story.

?But what I also found out was that there were some teachers who used their own resources to ensure that the children had what they needed.

?That is much appreciated because it demonstrates that we do indeed have teachers who go above and beyond the call of duty for our children.?

Mrs. Jackson said it was simply not acceptable for teachers to have to pay for pupils? meals out of their own pockets.

?Teachers can do it? No, they can?t. That?s not fair,? she said.

Mr. Simmons claimed the Ministry had not responded to a proposal put forward for school breakfast clubs.

Mr. Lister said if members were really concerned about the issue they would identify the schools themselves and visit them to see what could be done ? as some church groups had.

?People would prefer to go the Press and make a big deal about this issue rather than seeking to resolve it,? he said. ?We are on top of it and we are going to stay on top of it.?

Mr. Charles told yesterday that some teachers were still providing breakfasts and clothing for students. ?There are so many things that teachers do that are above and beyond the call of what they are technically paid to do.

?There are a lot of teachers doing a lot of good things. They make sure that some children, because of problems they are having at home, have breakfasts, have lunch, have a decent meal during the day. To say that teachers are failing the students is so unfair.?