KARACHI – The Sindh government has decided to provide free midday meals to children in public schools in collaboration with the World Food Programme (WFP).
In this regard, Sindh Education Minister Syed Sardar Ali Shah met with WFP Country Director Coco Ushiyama to discuss challenges related to malnutrition and food insecurity among children.
The meeting took place on Wednesday at the School Education Department office, attended by Secretary of School Education Sindh Zahid Ali Abbasi and other officials.
Minister Sardar Ali Shah highlighted that due to financial constraints and population trends, many parents struggle to provide adequate nutrition to their children, affecting their learning ability.
He further stated that the program will be launched in areas facing high poverty and malnutrition. Regular meal availability in schools is expected to reduce dropout rates and improve attendance, encouraging families under financial stress to prioritize education over child labor.
WFP’s Country Director emphasized the importance of balanced nutrition for children’s cognitive development, memory, and overall learning capacity. She added that access to nutritious food in schools would boost children’s immunity, protecting them from various diseases.
The education minister stressed that providing high-quality and nutritious meals should be the program’s top priority. It was agreed that the initiative would initially be launched in Karachi’s Malir district, with a baseline survey conducted in schools and surrounding areas.
Under this program, 11,000 students will receive “hot meal lunch boxes” at school. Based on the program’s first-year progress and outcomes, the initiative will be expanded to other public schools across Sindh, with a robust monitoring system in place to ensure effectiveness.
