Education minister Hang Chuon Naron and US ambassador W. Patrick Murphy serve up lunch to students at the School Meals Programme in Siem Reap province on Thursday. MoEYS
The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, along with the US embassy and the World Food Programme (WFP) Cambodia, celebrated the expansion of the national school meal programme and made official the handover of 85 additional school meal programme management from the WFP to the government.
The joint announcement came on March 17 as education minister Hang Chuon Naron, US ambassador to Cambodia W. Patrick Murphy and WFP representative in Cambodia visited Siem Reap province.
In a joint press release, they said school meals provide nutritious foods that help maintain children’s good health and act as an indirect income transfer supporting the most vulnerable households. They also boost the local economy as some of the food is grown and purchased locally.
“[They] provide children with filling and nutritious meals at school. These simple plates of food are powerful contributors to education by supporting enrolment and attendance while boosting attentiveness and vitality in class,” the press release said.
The press release said that in Cambodia, school meals benefit 280,000 pre-primary and primary school children in 1,113 schools across 10 provinces. The government now independently funds and manages the programme in 290 of these schools (26 per cent) and has allocated $2.9 million for them this year.
Chuon Naron was quoted in the press release as saying that today’s handover marked a milestone for school meals in Cambodia because it demonstrates the government’s commitment to the gradual expansion of the national school meals programme in recognition of its positive impact on education, nutrition and social protection.
“The government is proud to have joined the Global School Meals coalition in August 2021 and considers school meals more relevant than ever to help reverse the damaging effects that the pandemic has had on human capital development,” he said.
WFP country representative Claire Conan said the generous support from the US government – which has totalled over $84 million since 2021 – has enabled young Cambodians from poor backgrounds to receive healthy breakfasts at school and improve their education and nutrition as a result.
“Most importantly, it has also laid the foundation for the national programme, helping develop national capacity to manage the programme and building essential food and water and sanitation infrastructure in schools across the country,” she said.
US ambassador W. Patrick Murphy said he was pleased to see the results of the longstanding support from the US for school nutrition in Cambodia.
“Quality school meals are so important for students and families, and it’s encouraging to see the education ministry taking over this programme and expanding it nationwide,” he said.
The Cambodian government – in collaboration with other donors – has contributed to the WFP to run the remaining school programmes, with a total contribution of $24 million since 2007.
