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free school meal programme was launched in May at Government Primary School, Memon Goth, in Malir. For its 700 students, many of whom arrive at school on empty stomachs, a simple plate of warm food is more than just a meal. It is a lifeline.
With over 40 per cent of Pakistan’s population living below the poverty line and 33.2 per cent of children under five stunted, there is a dire need to address food insecurity and malnutrition.
When a child is hungry, education becomes secondary. According to medical experts, without adequate nutrition, children struggle to concentrate, process information and retain knowledge. Hunger affects brain development, reduces attention span and weakens memory and problem-solving skills. Hunger, therefore, directly affects a child’s ability to learn.
Speaking of this, Minister for Education and Literacy Syed Sardar Ali Shah said, “Poor nutrition doesn’t just affect the body. It shapes the mind, the future and the society, at large. The consequences ripple across generations, perpetuating poverty.”
In an attempt to break this cycle, the Sindh government, in collaboration with NGOs such as Allah Walay Trust, has launched the School Khana Programme under which kitchens will be set up to prepare and deliver warm food to students.
“The focus is on hygiene and food safety. That’s why there are so many hand-washing stations in the kitchens. Our cooks follow elaborate protocols in preparing meals,” said Shahid Lone, chairperson of the Allah Walay Trust.
By providing nutrition to children from low-income families, the programme aims to reduce long-term health risks and ensure that children continue their education without any problems.
“We are also reducing the financial burden on low-income households through this programme. They have to provide one less meal,” said the minister. “We’re hoping that this will incentivise parents to send their children to school. When they know there’s a free meal available in school, they are more likely to allow their children to attend school and continue their education.”
“In the first phase, the programme aims to provide food to nearly 100,000 children from schools in underprivileged areas of Sindh,” said Shah.
The impact of this initiative is multifaceted. “We’re not just feeding hungry children; we’re also fuelling their minds to learn, grow and thrive,” said Lone. “We aim to expand our school meal programme to every school for the underprivileged in Sindh and, eventually, the whole country.”
The trust is already making strides in the Punjab and Islamabad. “Our goal is to bridge the nutrition gap, improve learning outcomes and empower Pakistan’s future generations,” Lone said.
The menu, carefully crafted to cater to the nutritional needs of growing children, features a rotation of wholesome meals; two days of hearty rice dishes, two days of protein-rich lentils and two days of mixed vegetables.
“It’s a gamechanger,” said the headmaster, Tahir Qayyum. “The free, quality food is a magnet for parents, who are eager to get their children admitted. We’re witnessing a transformation. Kids who once struggled to focus in class are now bursting with energy and curiosity,” he said.
To ensure that the impact is not just felt, but also measured, the government will record body mass index (BMI) of students at the outset and after four months. This crucial data will serve as a benchmark to monitor children’s growth patterns, identifying areas for improvement and potential health concerns. By tracking changes in BMI, healthcare professionals can pinpoint signs of stunting, wasting and other nutrition-related issues, enabling targeted interventions to ensure every child receives the support they need to thrive.
Globally, many nations have recognised the link between nutrition and educational endeavours. Malaysia transformed its workforce through school milk programes in the 1950s. Brazil cut child malnutrition to half through a similar policy. The Indian Supreme Court ordered a mid-day meal scheme for schools. But in Pakistan, there are neither federal nor provincial policies to sustain such a scheme.
While the initiative is promising, scaling up will require consistent government and donor support. To bridge the gap between ambition and implementation, innovative solutions must be explored.
Observers believe that local farmers could be contracted for supplies, creating micro-economies that benefit the community. Solar-powered food warmers could address infrastructure challenges in rural centers, solving electricity gaps. Corporate social responsibility funds could also be used to sponsor food for schools, providing a vital lifeline. Offering tax breaks for meal sponsors could incentivise contributions, potentially shifting billions into the system. By tackling hunger and education in tandem, Pakistan can transcend feel-good pilot projects and drive meaningful change.
As the aroma of freshly cooked meals filled the air in Murad Memon Goth, it carried with it a powerful message: When we nourish a child’s body, we also nourish their mind and the future of an entire nation.
The writer is a senior The News staffer in Karachi