KARACHI: The Sindh government has decided to provide free lunch to students in government schools.
In a meeting between Sindh Education Minister Syed Sardar Ali Shah and World Food Program Country Director Coco Oshiyama, the issues of child nutrition were discussed.
The Education Minister stated on the occasion that, due to difficulties in family resources and population trends, parents cannot provide good food to children, and problems such as malnutrition in children affect their learning ability.
The WFP Country Director also expressed her views on the importance and need of the program, stating that a balanced diet improves the mental development and memory of children, which increases their learning ability.
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Ms. Oshiyama further said that receiving a balanced diet in school will increase the immunity of children, which can protect them from various diseases. Under this decision, every student in government schools will now be provided free lunch, with the first phase starting in Malir district of Karachi.
The program has been launched to address malnutrition among children in schools in Sindh, with the aim of not only improving the physical health of children but also enhancing their academic performance.
Sindh Education Minister Syed Sardar Ali Shah said that the program will be launched especially in areas where poverty and malnutrition are prevalent.
He added that the availability of regular meals in schools will increase children’s attendance and reduce the dropout rate. This will further encourage parents to send their children to school, especially in areas where there is pressure to send children for labor.
The provincial minister stressed the importance of providing the best quality food for children under this program and said that its monitoring process will be conducted effectively to ensure the successful implementation of the program.
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He also said that, based on the results of one year of the program, such a facility will also be provided in government schools in other cities.
It was agreed in the meeting that, under this program, 11,000 boys and girls will be provided with “hot meal lunch boxes” in schools in Malir district of Karachi, which will include balanced and healthy meals. After the success of the program, its scope will be expanded to other areas so that more and more children can benefit from it.
Provincial Education Minister Syed Sardar Ali Shah, while describing the project as a major step by the Sindh government, said that this initiative will help strengthen the education system of the province and brighten the future of children.
