Minister of Education Meets with WFP Representative and Country Director
Mr. Mohamed Abdel Latif, Minister of Education and Technical Education, met with Ms. Rawad Halabi, the World Food Programme's Representative and Country Director in Egypt, and her accompanying delegation, to discuss ways to enhance cooperation and expand partnerships in school feeding programs and support efforts to improve the quality of education, particularly in the most vulnerable areas.
Minister Abdel Latif emphasized that the Egyptian government places great importance on school feeding programs as a key pillar for improving students' health, enhancing their academic performance, and reducing school dropout rates. He noted that the Ministry aims to provide a school meal for every student. This initiative was studied in coordination with the Ministry of Social Solidarity within the framework of human development, and an initiative was launched in cooperation with the Egyptian Food Bank to study implementation mechanisms, especially in the most vulnerable areas, thus contributing to supporting families economically while also serving the educational process.
Minister of Education Mohamed Abdel Latif met with Ms. Rawad Halabi, the WFP Representative and Country Director in Egypt, and her accompanying delegation. The Minister highlighted the model implemented in Fayoum Governorate, which provides school meals to students in cooperation with the Egyptian Food Bank. He emphasized the remarkable success of the initiative and its direct positive impact on student attendance. He noted the Ministry's commitment to expanding the program to all governorates across the country according to specific mechanisms and practices, stressing that providing school meals is a crucial solution to reducing school dropout rates.
Minister Mohamed Abdel Latif explained that the Ministry is working to broaden its cooperation with civil society organizations and attract private sector participation in supporting the school feeding program. He emphasized the importance of leveraging the World Food Programme's expertise in this area, particularly regarding its supervisory role in collaboration with the Ministry, and transferring successful international experiences, especially those related to central kitchen models implemented in similar countries.
The Minister also stressed the importance of joint cooperation in developing a comprehensive plan that includes the operational and logistical aspects of providing safe and healthy meals to students in the most vulnerable areas.
For her part, the WFP Resident Representative and Country Director in Egypt expressed her appreciation for the close cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Technical Education, commending the Ministry's efforts in developing the education system and emphasizing the importance of the partnership and the exchange of expertise in this field to achieve shared goals.
The meeting was attended by Ms. Amani Gamal El-Din, Programme Manager, and Ms. Naglaa Atef, Partnerships Unit Manager, from the WFP in Egypt.
From the Ministry of Education and Technical Education, attendees included Dr. Ahmed Daher, Deputy Minister; Ambassador Yasser Osman, Advisor to the Minister for International Relations and Agreements; and Ms. Iman Yassin, Director General of the General Administration for International Relations.