VIENTIANE, July 2 (Xinhua) -- The Lao government and development partners agreed to expand the school meals program to improve health and nutrition awareness for students in rural schools.
The program, partnered with the United Nations World Food Program (WFP), aims to create a positive cycle of rural poverty reduction centered around local schools.
The WFP stated in a press release on Tuesday that more than 22,000 children across 200 schools in three southern provinces of Laos will benefit from the program.
The newly launched support aims to build a supply system linking local farmers to school meals for a steady supply of fresh ingredients for school meals that benefit children from a nutritional and educational standpoint, as well as create economic opportunities for farmers.
Speaking at the launching ceremony in Lao capital Vientiane on Tuesday, Deputy Minister of Education and Sports Sourioudong Sundara said the ministry's development plan 2021-2025 acknowledges the key role that school meals play in reducing inequalities in education by enhancing enrollment, attendance, and learning outcomes.
School meals are also one of the 22 key priority interventions of the Lao government's national nutrition strategy for 2025 and national plan of action on nutrition 2021-2025, said Sourioudong. ■
