There is a close relationship between education and nutrition. Now the federal government has launched a scheme to provide mid-day meals in state primary schools in Islamabad. Initially, the programme will cover 100 schools, and later it will be introduced in all schools. NGOs are assisting the government in the school lunch programme.
Considering that an estimated 20 million children in the 5-15 age group are out of school in the country, the school lunch scheme will markedly reduce the number of school drop-outs, and enable more and more young ones to pursue education. Many children from poor families suffer from issues of stunting and nutrition. Undernourishment also affects their mental growth. There are numerous benefits of providing free meals at school. Those who for some reason do not eat breakfast at home will get a wholesome meal at school. The government should ensure that foodstuffs used for children’s lunch are of good quality, meals are cooked and served in a hygienic atmosphere, and washing hands before eating should be made mandatory as it will inculcate habits of cleanliness in young ones. Further, since children from different social backgrounds will be eating together, it will promote brotherhood and national cohesion.
Education Minister Shafqat Mahmood on Wednesday inaugurated the free lunch programme in 100 primary schools of the federal capital.
He launched the programme by providing free meal to students in a school in F-6. All schoolchildren in 100 primary schools that fell under the jurisdiction of the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) will be provided the meal.
Speaking on the occasion, the minister said the meal was being provided in collaboration with the Allah Walay Trust. He said the government was making effort to spread the programme to all schools of the country, and that he had taken up this issue with an international donor agency as well.
He said poverty was one of the major reasons behind drop-out or not enrolling in schools, adding that in the next phase, lunch would be provided to students of all primary schools of Islamabad.
There are a total of 191 primary schools in Islamabad and the programme has been launched in 100.
FDE Director General Dr Ikram Ali Malik, Quaid-i-Azam University Vice Chancellor Dr Mohammad Ali Shah, Inter-Board Committee of Chairmen Secretary Dr Ghulam Ali Mallah and officials of the trust and FDE attended the ceremony.
As the school drop-out rate is high in most regions, midday meals will bring students back to schools. Free midday meals are already being provided at schools in some areas of Punjab province. The authorities should keep a vigilant eye on how the funds allocated for school lunch are being utilised and the quality of food items procured from the market. The system of periodic appraisal should be instituted to see the progress or otherwise of the welfare programme.
The government should ensure that foodstuffs used for children’s lunch are of good quality, meals are cooked and served in a hygienic atmosphere, and washing hands before eating should be made mandatory as it will inculcate habits of cleanliness in young ones
