WFP UN to help improve hot meals in Kyrgyzstan’s schools

17:14, 25 марта 2025, Bishkek - 24.kg news agency , Anastasia BENGARD

World Food Programme (WFP) Representative and Country Director in the Kyrgyz Republic Kojiro Nakai met with the Minister of Education and Science Dogdurkul Kendirbaeva.

According to the press service of the Ministry of Education and Science, the main topic of the meeting was the analysis of the contribution of the school meals program to the promotion of the national agenda for sustainable development of education.

Dogdurkul Kendirbaeva expressed gratitude to WFP for its active support and contribution to the development of the school meals system.

«We highly appreciate the efforts of the ministry aimed at ensuring that every child in the republic has access to high-quality and safe school meals. Through joint efforts we can ensure equal opportunities for all children,» Kojiro Nakai noted.

The program covers all districts and regions of the Kyrgyz Republic, but hot school meals have not been introduced in all schools.

In 2025, the Ministry of Education and Science and WFP are planning to work together in the following areas:

• Launching hot meals in 58 schools and 13 kindergartens across the country;
• Assistance to 332 schools in Osh, Jalal-Abad and Batken regions in the form of enriched flour, vegetable oil, rice and lentils;
• Selecting 50 schools to participate in the program for organizing school gardens;
• Installing solar panels in 13 schools in Chui and Osh regions, as well as in Bishkek and Osh;
• Implementing a project in 40 schools to provide students, especially girls and vulnerable groups, with access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene.

In addition, assistance will be provided in increasing the productivity of small farmers through integration into the school meals market.