Sindh to Give Free Meals to School Students

The Sindh government, in collaboration with the World Food Programme (WFP), will jointly fund a one-year pilot School Meals Project in Malir District for the 2025–2026 academic year, with a total allocation of Rs578.39 million.

This initiative aims to provide daily hot meals to 11,000 primary students (up to class five) in an effort to enhance nutritional outcomes, boost attendance, and improve academic performance.

During a meeting held at the Chief Minister’s House, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and WFP Country Director Coco Ushiyama discussed the school feeding programme along with ongoing cooperation in maternal and child healthcare. The discussion also included expansion of existing projects such as Nashonuma and Mamta to address malnutrition more comprehensively.

Under the cost-sharing arrangement, the Sindh government will contribute Rs462.71 million—approximately 80 percent of the total funding—while the WFP will provide the remaining Rs115.68 million. The programme is expected to address classroom hunger, improve focus and learning, and encourage higher school enrolment, particularly for girls.

A centralised kitchen will be established to prepare, package, and distribute meals, which will consist of lentils, rice or bread, vegetables, and fruit served weekly. The Sindh Food Authority, alongside a designated Food Safety Officer, will ensure that hygiene and nutritional standards are upheld. WFP will manage implementation via a third-party contractor and will lead the programme’s monitoring and evaluation efforts.

Targeted schools will be located in peri-urban areas of Malir that meet basic infrastructure requirements, including access to clean water, sanitation, and minimum enrolment levels. A robust monitoring system will be used to track enrolment, attendance, and retention, with the goal of maintaining at least 70% daily attendance. Baseline and endline assessments conducted by WFP will help determine the programme’s effectiveness and guide future expansion across Sindh. Data from the Education Management Information System (EMIS) and school records will support performance evaluation.

Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah highlighted the broader impact of the initiative, noting that it could reduce child malnutrition, create employment opportunities through local food procurement, and strengthen community-based food systems. He also emphasised the programme’s role in promoting gender equity by encouraging girls’ participation in school.

Ms Ushiyama shared updates on WFP’s ongoing work in Sindh, particularly in maternal and child nutrition. She highlighted key focus areas including stunting, wasting, conditional cash transfers, and the distribution of food supplements aimed at reducing malnutrition.

CM Shah expressed gratitude for the WFP’s continued support and reiterated Sindh’s commitment to improving public health and education through sustainable, nutrition-based interventions.