ISLAMABAD: As the lunch bell rings, a wave of excitement sweeps across a bustling government-run primary school in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad as students walk out of classrooms under the supervision of their teachers.
For principal Shafia Khan, it has been one of the most rewarding sights of the day to see hundreds of children opening their lunchboxes, filled not just with hot, nutritious food but also with newfound “energy and hope.”
The free meals are distributed as part of the government-backed Islamabad School Meals Program (ISMP), launched in May 2024, to combat malnutrition, improve academic performance and promote attendance among children from marginalized communities.
Over 200 schools benefitting from the program have since reported 99 percent attendance and 88 percent student retention rates, with increase in energy levels among students translating into better academic performance and more active participation in extracurricular activities.
“As we have more than 1200 students in our school, so each and every child gets this opportunity to take this food,” Khan told Arab News at her Islamabad Model School in Islamabad’s I-8 sector.
