Highlights
The Tunisian investment in the National School Meals programme was showcased as a leading example during an event to present the Initiative for School Meals and Social Protection in the Middle East and North Africa. The initiative conceives school meals as a costefficient investment which can drive mutuallyreinforcing social protection, education, and nutrition outcomes; while promoting community resilience.
With WFP support, the Tunisian Ministry of Education’s Office for School Services offered trainings for 400 cooks who will prepare and serve nutritious school meals in public schools.
Operational Updates
Tunisia
The Tunisian Government’s investment in nutritious school meals was showcased as a leading example during an event to present the ‘Initiative for School Meals and Social Protection in the Middle East and North Africa’. This new partnership brings together governments, regional organisations, UN agencies, donors, and the private sector; and aims to promote enhanced education, nutrition and social protection outcomes through strategic and programmatic convergence. The event took place at the side of the First Regular Session of WFP’s Executive Board Meeting in Rome, on 21 February.
The event galvanized support for school meals as a cost-efficient investment which can drive mutuallyreinforcing social protection, education, and nutrition outcomes; while promoting community resilience and social cohesion. Participants agreed on the need for a strategy to promote nutritious school meals in the varying contexts of countries across the Middle East and North Africa and beyond.
In collaboration with WFP, the Ministry of Education’s Office for School Services, charged with the central planning and management of the National School Meals Programme, conducted trainings (27 Feburary-4 March) for 400 cooks who will serve nutritious school meals in public schools.
An event was organized at the training sites to commemorate the African Day of School Feeding, on 04 March.WFP visited a training centre for cooks and kitchen personnel in Hammamet, Nabeul Governorate. The facilities and training practices will serve as a model for the central kitchen that is currently being constructed in the Zaghouan governorate, as part of a WFP developed home-grown school meals pilot.
Morocco
- In line with Morocco’s Plan of Action for the enhancement of the National School Meals Programme, developed jointly by WFP and the Government, WFP continues to provide technical assistance aiming to strengthen regulatory frameworks and governance tools, as well as to support the design and implementation of school meals pilots that are efficient, accountable, and foster links with local agricultural production.
