The Bangladesh government is set to roll out its school meal programme to all government primary schools across the nation in phases, aiming to provide nutritious meals to students. This initiative, which focuses on ensuring adequate nutrition, was highlighted by State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Bobby Hajjaj during a recent meeting with Ms. Coco H. Ushiyama, Country Director and Representative of the World Food Programme (WFP) Bangladesh.
Commitment to Nutritional Standards
Hajjaj emphasized that the government's primary goal is to guarantee nutrition for every primary school student. During the meeting, the two sides discussed various aspects of the programme, including the potential introduction of cooked hot meals on a pilot basis, effective monitoring, and digital management. Hajjaj stressed that transparency, accountability, and a technology-based monitoring system are essential for the successful implementation of the programme.
The discussion also drew parallels to India's school meal programme, considering its relevance to Bangladesh's unique social and cultural context. Hajjaj highlighted the need for separate need-based plans, taking into account the differences between urban and rural areas, geographical diversity, and varying socio-economic conditions across the country.
Broader Benefits of the Programme
Ushiyama noted that the school meal programme not only ensures students' nutrition but also plays a crucial role in increasing school attendance, preventing dropouts, improving the quality of education, and promoting healthy eating habits. She mentioned that WFP has successfully integrated school meal programmes with school gardens, nutrition education, and local agricultural systems in various countries.
The meeting also addressed the improvement of the existing Integrated Primary Education Information Management System of the Directorate of Primary Education and WFP's technical support for developing an integrated information management system in the future. Both sides agreed on the need to enhance the effectiveness of the school meal programme.
Senior officials from the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education and WFP were present at the meeting, which underscored the collaborative approach in implementing the programme.
