The new school feeding programme aims to reach 3.5 million students in 20,000 government primary schools over the next three years
The government of Bangladesh has joined a Global School Meals Coalition and promoting child education and nutrition in the country with the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP). The announcement was made by Dr A. K. Abdul Momen, Foreign Minister of Bangladesh and Farid Ahmed, Secretary, Ministry of Primary and Mass Education, on the opening day of the UN Food Systems Summit +2 Stocktaking Moment in Rome.
The new school feeding programme aims to reach 3.5 million students in 20,000 government primary schools over the next three years.
Since 2010, the Government of Bangladesh has been investing in the national school feeding programme, with WFP as a key partner. By 2022, more than three million children in 104 sub-districts had been reached with fortified biscuits, and in some locations, hot meals. A study conducted by WFP in 2018 shows that the programme resulted in a 4.2 per cent increase in school enrolment and a 7.5 per cent reduction in dropouts. “In the next programme, we are planning to shift from fortified biscuits only to a diversified food menu. It will include seasonal fruits, eggs, bun and milk during the week. We will pilot hot meals in some poorer districts. Diversification will help us to achieve nutritional outcomes,” said Dr A. K. Abdul Momen.
