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ISLAMABAD: As the lunch bell rings, a wave of excitement sweeps across a bustling government-run primary school in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad as students walk out of classrooms under the supervision of their teachers.

For principal Shafia Khan, it has been one of the most rewarding sights of the day to see hundreds of children opening their lunchboxes, filled not just with hot, nutritious food but also with newfound “energy and hope.”

The free meals are distributed as part of the government-backed Islamabad School Meals Program (ISMP), launched in May 2024, to combat malnutrition, improve academic performance and promote attendance among children from marginalized communities.

Over 200 schools benefitting from the program have since reported 99 percent attendance and 88 percent student retention rates, with increase in energy levels among students translating into better academic performance and more active participation in extracurricular activities.

“As we have more than 1200 students in our school, so each and every child gets this opportunity to take this food,” Khan told Arab News at her Islamabad Model School in Islamabad’s I-8 sector.

“Most of the students bring tiffin from their home, they take it to home as well. This food is not only creating a sense of sharing, caring among the students, but it is also very beneficial for their character building.”

The ISMP, which functions under the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE), initially provided meals to 40 schools, according to Riffat Jabeen, the FDE director of academics and quality assurance.

The program has now been expanded to 210 schools in less than a year and currently, it provides meals to 65,000 primary school students.

Students are served healthy and nutritious meals from a weekly menu that includes chicken ‘biryani,’ chicken ‘haleem,’ chickpea rice, chicken, potato curry and ‘zarda’ (sweet rice).

“Meals are prepared in kitchens by 7am and delivered to classrooms by noon,” Jabeen said. “In addition to hot meals, the program includes health screenings such as BMI (body mass index) tracking and eye exams, reinforcing its holistic approach to student well-being.”

“It’s actually a complete health program,” she added.

NOURISHING BODIES, SHARPENING MINDS

In Pakistan, around 2.14 million children suffer from acute malnutrition, according to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC). Official figures suggest the country has more than 26 million out-of-school children.

The ISMP represents a vital step toward a more equitable education system, according to Jabeen. At just Rs70 ($0.25) per student a day, the program is not just feeding students, it’s fueling a generation with dignity, hope and the promise of lasting change.

“Initially, students [from the marginalized communities] would come to the school, leave the school because of poverty,” Jabeen said.

“Now the meal is being served and the parents who cannot afford two times meal a day, they are very happy with the initiative and they are sending the students to the school every day.”

‘HAPPIER, MORE ACTIVE’ STUDENTS

Teachers say the results have been “striking,” with a visible change in student enthusiasm and discipline.

“Food is a basic necessity for us,” Salmi Noor, a teacher at the Islamabad Model School, told Arab News. “So, when the child gets the energy, they are able to play well and able to concentrate on whatever is being taught.”

Nazia Waseem, a 40-year-old mother from Dhok Kala Khan, drops her son, Jahanzaib, to the government school daily.

“My child often leaves home without breakfast, but thanks to the school meal, he never remains hungry. When he eats at school, I see a difference in his energy returns, and he’s full of life,” she said of her bright-eyed, 5-year-old son who is in kindergarten.

“He’s happier, more active, and looks forward to going to school every single day. As a mother, that brings me so much relief and joy.”