![[Jordan] Sultan Abu Jarrar, 12, wields his toy gun near his house in Baqaa refugee camp, 30km west of Amman. [Date picture taken: 06/16/2006]](https://assets.thenewhumanitarian.org/s3fs-public/styles/responsive_large_2x/public/images/200661915.jpg.webp?itok=VnKcCgDh "The UNRWA nutrition programme seeks to attract children back into school")
A nutrition programme run by the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNWRA) in camps across Jordan is encouraging more students to stay in school.
Teachers had become accustomed to seeing children ditch classes, under pressure to help parents at home or work to help the family finances.
The midmorning snack provided by UNWRA throughout Jordan since the beginning of the school year has proved successful in tempting students to stay in class, according to teachers and education officials.
Each child receives either a banana or an apple and a biscuit. Teachers said many students spent the day without a proper meal, if any.
"Ever since the initiative was implemented a few weeks ago, the desire of students to attend classes has increased. We rarely see absenteeism and excitement among many is apparent," said Aheda Saaid, headmaster of Baqaa elementary school.
"Students were very happy to receive this food support as our resources are small in the school and we cannot afford to offer such help," Saaid told IRIN.
The programme, funded by the government, seeks not only to attract children back into school but also to improve their performance and teachers said they could already see a difference.
"Children pay more attention to classes as they have something to wait for, apart from homework and sports," she said.
The school nutrition programme was launched in government schools by King Abdullah in late 1999 in an attempt to provide children from impoverished backgrounds with food to help them perform better.
With the economic situation in refugee camps deteriorating, the programme has been extended to include 42,000 schoolchildren in Jordan's 13 camps.
Teachers insist the supplement is not meant as a substitute to main meals, but a booster to help the child function during the six hours of class a day.
But many pupils say the snack is their only food during the day, with only one meal in the evening.
Jordan is home to 1.9 million officially registered refugees, who arrived after the Arab-Israeli wars of 1948 and 1967.
mbh/at/mw
Teachers had become accustomed to seeing children ditch classes, under pressure to help parents at home or work to help the family finances.
The midmorning snack provided by UNWRA throughout Jordan since the beginning of the school year has proved successful in tempting students to stay in class, according to teachers and education officials.
Each child receives either a banana or an apple and a biscuit. Teachers said many students spent the day without a proper meal, if any.
"Ever since the initiative was implemented a few weeks ago, the desire of students to attend classes has increased. We rarely see absenteeism and excitement among many is apparent," said Aheda Saaid, headmaster of Baqaa elementary school.
"Students were very happy to receive this food support as our resources are small in the school and we cannot afford to offer such help," Saaid told IRIN.
The programme, funded by the government, seeks not only to attract children back into school but also to improve their performance and teachers said they could already see a difference.
"Children pay more attention to classes as they have something to wait for, apart from homework and sports," she said.
The school nutrition programme was launched in government schools by King Abdullah in late 1999 in an attempt to provide children from impoverished backgrounds with food to help them perform better.
With the economic situation in refugee camps deteriorating, the programme has been extended to include 42,000 schoolchildren in Jordan's 13 camps.
Teachers insist the supplement is not meant as a substitute to main meals, but a booster to help the child function during the six hours of class a day.
But many pupils say the snack is their only food during the day, with only one meal in the evening.
Jordan is home to 1.9 million officially registered refugees, who arrived after the Arab-Israeli wars of 1948 and 1967.
mbh/at/mw
This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions
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