Bangladesh Government inspired by a Successful GAIN School Feeding Program

High-level officials recently visited a GAIN-supported School Nutrition Program in India to discover how serving nutritious meals for children can improve long term learning potential.

Indian children enjoying a nutritious meal as part of a GAIN-supported school feeding program.

Around 40 percent of children attending primary school in Bangladesh are hungry during their lessons. This makes a significant impact on the quality of their education as it is largely recognized that poor nutrition impairs physical and intellectual development. The country’s Government, in partnership with Dubai Cares and GAIN, is therefore exploring the option of implementing school feeding programs to fight malnutrition and encourage pupils into classrooms especially girls. Through showcasing the benefits in India - which include significant improvements in pupil attention span and class attendance – this scheme can be effectively adapted in Bangladesh.

Committed to build a nation free from malnutrition and hidden hunger

“The Indian good practices are good lessons for us,” said Dr Md. Afsarul Ameen, the Honorable Minister from the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education, Government of Bangladesh. “Observing the Indian experience, we realized that India is committed to develop as a nation free from malnutrition and hidden hunger”.

GAIN facilitated the visit to the Naandi Kitchen, in Hyderabad, and Akshaya Patra's kitchens, in Rajasthan as well as local primary schools. For many children receiving these pre-prepared dishes, which are fortified with essential vitamins and minerals, it is their only full meal for the day.

“We have learnt from the parents and teachers that enrolment [in primary school] has been increased, dropout rates have been minimized and retention rates have been stabilized after introduction of the school feeding and nutrition program.”

Replicating the success model in Bangladesh

 “The Government of Bangladesh is committed to children’s access to quality education and we have a vision to make our country free from malnutrition” added Dr Ameen. “The central kitchen models that have been operational with GAIN support have been quite exemplary, and this can be replicated in Bangladesh with appropriate contextualization and modification”.

“We are eagerly looking at GAIN as a credible and trusted partner of choice to work with the Government of Bangladesh to provide long term solutions to the problems.”

For a full interview with the Minister, click here…