Federal Education Minister Shafqat Mehmood Wednesday inaugurated school meal programme for 25,000 students of 100 federal public primary schools under ‘School Khana programme’, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
The meals will be provided by the Allah Walah Trust (ISO certified) ensuring quality standards to cater to the nutritional needs of students.
Shafqat Mehmood thanked Allah Wale Trust and vowed to expand this programme to other schools as well. He said many students did not come to school due to poverty and many came without having their breakfasts.
The minister said he met with Unicef Director and expressed government’s resolve to expand this free meal model to other schools.
Moreover, Punjab Education Minister Dr Murad Raas said that the free meals programme has been expanded to 10 more schools in the metropolis Lahore
As per the new initiative, the number of schools which will be getting free meals for students has now risen to 30 from 20 in Lahore only under the Public Private Partnership (PPP).
He said the government aimed to complete the target of 100 schools initially.
The minister claimed that the initiative would improve the health of students.
Dr Raas invited philanthropists to be a part of the free meals programme.
Reporter Saba Bajeer