- Advertisement -
ISLAMABAD, Jul 23 (APP):Minister of State for Federal Education and Professional Training, Ms. Wajiha Qamar met here on Wednesday, with Ms. Coco Ushiyama, Country Director of the World Food Programme (WFP) Pakistan, to strengthen collaboration in school nutrition, early childhood development, and parenting support across the country.
Ms. Qamar expressed appreciation for WFP’s continued support in improving children’s health and educational access, particularly through its school meals programme in food-insecure districts, said a press release.
She highlighted the Ministry’s growing focus on holistic child development, including the rollout of parenting manuals AGHOSH and PARVARISH, which aim to equip caregivers with knowledge on nutrition, emotional care, and school readiness.
“We recognize that a hungry child cannot learn,” said Ms. Qamar. “Our goal is to build stronger foundations for learning by integrating nutrition and parenting awareness into Pakistan’s education system, especially in the early years.”
Ms. Coco Ushiyama commended the Ministry’s leadership in placing child well-being at the center of education policy. She reaffirmed WFP’s commitment to supporting Pakistan’s national priorities through joint programmes that link food security with education, gender equity, and community resilience.
The two sides discussed opportunities to scale up school meal programmes, integrate parenting education into nutrition interventions, and explore targeted initiatives in remote and marginalized communities.
The meeting concluded with a mutual resolve to advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) and SDG 4 (Quality Education), through coordinated government-WFP efforts.