MINEDU-NC and WFP accelerate the operationalization of school canteens

The Ministry of National Education and New Citizenship and the World Food Programme (WFP) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo agreed on Wednesday, February 25, in Kinshasa, to accelerate the rollout of school cafeterias throughout the country.

This took place during a meeting that Minister of State Raïssa Malu held with the new Country Representative of this UN agency. The two parties focused their discussions on the effective implementation of this program, which the Congolese government considers a key lever for keeping children in school, particularly in vulnerable areas.

Raïssa Malu emphasized that school canteens are part of the Head of State’s vision to promote equitable access to education, combat school dropout rates, and improve student nutrition, while supporting local development through the procurement of community-grown agricultural products.

For his part, David Stevenson praised the development of the National School Feeding Strategy, which he described as a key step toward the program’s sustainable structuring. 

He reaffirmed the WFP’s commitment to supporting the Congolese government, particularly through technical, logistical, and operational assistance.

Discussions also focused on the organization of the African School Feeding Day, scheduled for March 1 in Kalemie, aimed at raising awareness about the role of school cafeterias in improving the education system.

The school canteen program helps improve student attendance, concentration, and performance, while supporting free public primary education by providing at least one balanced meal per day.

Ivan Honoré Mudiangombé