In a significant step towards addressing food insecurity in Sindh’s public schools, students at Allama Iqbal Government Boys and Girls Primary and Secondary School in Karachi have started receiving free meals during their morning break. This initiative, which was once a distant dream, is now a reality, thanks to the support of Saylani Welfare, a charitable organization.
The program gained momentum after the Sindh government handed over the school’s management to MQM-P MPA Adil Askari. Under his leadership, the school began offering a diverse range of nutritious meals, including chicken rolls, biryani, nihari, kebabs, and dal chawal, ensuring that students enjoy a different meal every day. The meals are served either on traditional dastar-khwans or distributed in an organized queue.
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This initiative comes at a critical time, as Sindh Education Minister Syed Sardar Shah has recently announced plans to expand the meal distribution to more schools starting from the new academic session in April. During a visit to the school, this scribe saw students happily enjoying their meals, with one student sharing, “Every day, I go home and excitedly tell my family what I ate at school.” Another student mentioned that the meal program has motivated her to attend school regularly.
With around 1,900 students enrolled in the morning shift, the program has already had a positive impact on attendance. Principal Dr. Abdul Razzaq Sialvi observed that many students who were once irregular are now attending school daily. This meal initiative has also encouraged more parents to enroll their children, providing them with an opportunity to learn without the worry of hunger.
