WFP consolidates feeding programme in schools

The World Food Programme (WFP) in Tajikistan is consolidating its feeding programme for schools by directly assisting 64,710 pupils and teachers in the mountainous Badakshon region in the east of the country. "These people were already being fed one meal a day at school, but now WFP has assumed direct responsibility for the programme in that region," Ardag Meghdessian, WFP country director for Tajikistan, told IRIN on Thursday from the capital, Dushanbe. Throughout Tajikistan, WFP currently serves more than 336,000 students, teachers and support staff a nutritious, hot meal through programmes at 1,707 schools. "That's roughly half of all schools in the country," Meghdessain pointed out. The food agency is taking over in Badakshon as it now has the capacity to do so. WFP had been busy feeding about a million Tajiks over the past two years due to the devastating regional drought. Now that has eased, the agency is able to put more resources into longer term projects like the schools programme, funded primarily by the United States. The UN agency believes the programme is important as it encourages school attendance and enrolment and plays a part in boosting literacy levels, particularly in rural areas. "Since independence literacy levels have slid from above 90 percent to around 60 percent, providing food in schools not only helps with nutrition but encourages learning," Meghdessian said. Education in Tajikistan has suffered greatly from lack of resources and many skilled teaching staff have left or are not entering the profession due to poor wages and conditions. During the civil war many schools were looted and qualified teachers fled abroad, especially to Russia. Another spin-off of the schools programme is that it tends to keep teachers in rural schools where the daily meal is seen by many as an important incentive to stay. Meanwhile, a news release issued by the US Embassy in Dushanbe said a US $5 million joint programme aimed at strengthening basic education in Tajikistan would be launched on Friday. The three-year programme is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and would include technical and financial assistance to pre-school and school education. The project in Tajikistan is one component of a regional programme implemented by USAID in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan at a total cost of US $12 million. The projects are focused on primary education and include training of teachers and involving communities in the teaching process.