(KPL) On Sep 4, Laos announced its official membership in the School Meals Coalition, a global alliance dedicated to enhancing child nutrition, education and well-being through comprehensive school meal programmes.

The event was held in Vientiane in presence of Minister of Education and Sports Phout Simmalavong, Ambassador of French to Lao PDR, Siv-Leng Chhuor.

This significant step reflects the Lao Government’s ongoing commitment to improving the health and educational outcomes of children across the nation.

By joining the School Meals Coalition, the Lao PDR aligns with 100 countries around the world that are committed to expanding and improving school meal programmes as a critical investment in the future of their children.

The Coalition aims to ensure that every child has access to a nutritious meal in school by 2030, supporting the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) and SDG 4 (Quality Education).

The inclusion of the Lao PDR in the Coalition marks a new chapter in the country’s efforts to improve education attainment through increased learning outcomes, while combating child malnutrition.

 Over 33% of children in the Lao PDR still suffer from chronic malnutrition, which affects their cognitive development and academic performance. 

Currently, the Lao PDR’s national programme covers 25% of primary schools around the country, providing meals to 250,000 children.

 As a new member of the School Meals Coalition, the Lao PDR will focus on expanding its current school meal initiatives, strengthening its collaboration with local and international partners to address the problem of child malnutrition.

The government aims to leverage international expertise, resources, and best practices through the Coalition to continue developing a sustainable, locally sourced school meal programme that meets the dietary needs of students, while supporting local agriculture and the economy.

Through its participation in the Coalition, the Lao PDR aims to leverage international expertise, resources and best practices to address these challenges.

 Assoc. Prof. Dr. Phout Simmalavong, Minister of Education and Sports said: ”Joining the School Meals Coalition is a critical step forward in our national strategy to improve child health and education. 

Nutritious school meals are essential not only for student health but also for their academic success, in order to become qualified human capital for a more developed country. 

We look forward to working with regional and global partners to build a brighter future for our children."

French Ambassador Siv-Leng Chhuor emphasized that France is especially delighted with the Lao PDR's accession to the Coalition as it was one of its earliest promoters. 

The Lao PDR is a priority country on France's nutrition roadmap, since Lao authorities prioritize school meals as a condition to the development of the country and its people. 

To underline this, France has been supporting efforts to counter food insecurity and malnutrition in Laos through the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), since 2019, with contributions amounting to EUR 3.3 million.

The Lao PDR has been developing a national system for school nutrition since 2000, together with partners such as WFP, Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and the World Bank, supported by a range of donors.

 A national programme officially launched in 2010, prioritizing regions with high rates of food insecurity and malnutrition. In 2020, a domestic budget line was allocated for the programme, and in 2022 the Government of the Lao PDR endorsed a Decree for Promoting School Lunch. 

The School Meals Coalition offers the Lao PDR the opportunity to engage in global dialogues, share experiences, and learn from the successes of other member countries.

This collective effort will help the Lao PDR accelerate its progress toward national and global development goals, ultimately contributing to a healthier, more educated and prosperous society.

KPL