The School Feeding Programme, also referred to as Food for Education, aims at providing meals for school children while they are at school. Food for Education is an umbrella term encompassing several activities that use food as a resource to promote education. School feeding activities are usually targeted for places that are food insecure to the extent of negatively affecting school indicators. In Zambia the programme is under implementation in 18 districts, typically identified as drought – stricken, with high food-insecurity, high percentage of out of school children and low educational indicators from the Vulnerability Assessment Committee Report of 2002. According to the GRZ/WFP 2007-2010 Programme Document the following are the objectives: Increase enrolment, reduce dropouts and stabilize attendance. Improve attention span and learning capacity. Stimulate parents’ participation in education of their children.
Specific objectives of the school feeding for Zambia
Specific objectives of the school feeding for Zambia
- Increase enrolment and attendance rates
- Improve attention span and learning capacity
- Encourage/enable families to host OVC.
- Contribute to the nutritional intake of school children attending Basic & Community Schools.
- Improve the HIV/AIDS-related knowledge and practices of OVC and host families/institutions.
The Government, with assistance from the World Food Programme has been providing the School Feeding Programme since 2003.
The food basket provided under the WFP supported SFP is made up of High Energy Protein Supplement (HEPS) which is fortified with micronutrients and sugar. The ration is 100 grams of HEPS and 10 grams of Oil per pupil per school learning day. This is prepared into a porridge and served to children by parents at schools.
The food basket provided under the WFP supported SFP is made up of High Energy Protein Supplement (HEPS) which is fortified with micronutrients and sugar. The ration is 100 grams of HEPS and 10 grams of Oil per pupil per school learning day. This is prepared into a porridge and served to children by parents at schools.
Partners : Other partners apart from WFP include UNICEF, MOH, MCDSS, Donors, NGOs, community members and PTAs.
Current status : As at 2010, there were 300,000 beneficiaries in 884 schools in 18 targeted districts in four provinces - Eastern, Southern, Western and Lusaka benefiting from the programme on each school day.
Current status : As at 2010, there were 300,000 beneficiaries in 884 schools in 18 targeted districts in four provinces - Eastern, Southern, Western and Lusaka benefiting from the programme on each school day.