Minister launches programme to tackle malnutrition among schoolchildren

A free school meal programme titled ‘School Khana Program’ has been launched in government schools located in underprivileged areas of Sindh.

Sindh Minister for Education Syed Sardar Ali Shah recently inaugurated the programme in collaboration with the Allah Wale Trust and stated that this initiative would help improve children’s learning abilities and bring out-of-school children back to classrooms.

The programme was inaugurated at the Government Boys Primary School in Murad Memon Goth, District Malir. Allah Wale Trust Chairperson Shahid Lone, Additional Secretary Dr Fauzia Khan, Karachi Schools Director Mirza Arshad Baig and others attended the event.

The education minister emphasised that nutritional deficiencies hinder children’s ability to learn. He pointed out that children in underprivileged areas were severely malnourished, and balanced nutrition played a crucial role in their physical development.

“We are embarking on a journey that will fulfil children’s nutritional needs and strengthen their ability to fight illnesses,” he said and added that globally, school meal programmes were seen as effective tools to improve learning outcomes. He highlighted that Pakistan ranked among the 10 poorest countries in the world, with 42 per cent of its population living below the poverty line and in such conditions, many parents could not provide their children with balanced meals, adversely affecting their growth. “Nutritious meals enhance children’s development, mental growth and immunity,” he remarked.

Shah noted that when children received meals at school, their attendance improved and their interest in learning grew. He called the initiative a support system for poor families, as one daily meal at school would also help reduce household expenses. In the first phase, the programme aims to provide food to nearly 100,000 children in need from schools in underprivileged areas.

The education minister praised institutions like the Allah Wale Trust for their local ownership and commitment to meaningful work. “We need such ownership in all initiatives,” he remarked.

The Allah Wale Trust chairperson explained that 700 children at the Government Boys Primary School in Murad Memon Goth would receive one free meal daily. He added that they planned to gradually expand the programme to other schools.

Centralised kitchens would be set up to prepare and deliver warm food while maintaining proper temperatures, he said, adding that facilities for washing hands before and after the meal would also be provided to the students. Additional Secretary Dr Fauzia Khan stated that the programme would be evaluated on various parameters. To measure its impact, the Body Mass Index of students would be recorded before launching the programme and again after four months to help monitor children’s growth, health and other related issues.