October 30, 2007	Tuesday	Shawwal 17, 1428

ISLAMABAD, Oct 29: The World Food Programme of the United Nations helps over 350,000 girl students every month under its current country programme (2005-2009). The assistance to girls primary education programme is being implemented in 3003 government girls primary schools in the poorest districts of Balochistan, Sindh, Punjab, NWFP and AJK and has achieved impressive results. The programme led to improved girls enrolment as well as teachers attendance, said Peter French, WFP representative in Pakistan.

The use of the single commodity high-value low-volume system introduced in 1994 to improve the efficiency and cost- effectiveness of food aid in Pakistan has continued to be the mode of support for the school feeding programme.

The success of this approach can primarily be attributed to the income transfer resulting from the high-value food commodity edible oil that helped defray the opportunity costs of sending girls to school and improved the attendance of teachers.

Edible oil is used to encourage the attendance of the girls of poor families to these schools. Each month, the girls receive a four-litre tin of oil for a minimum 20 days of attendance. The monetary value of the monthly take-home ration of the vegetable oil represents nearly 10 percent of the average poor family’s monthly income, Peter French added.

“Attraction of young girls to schools is contributing toward women’s mobility and participation in economic activity in the conservative communities. Enrolment has been more than double during three years, while it increased 20 per cent in non- assisted schools.”

This activity, which started in two districts in 1994, was expanded in 2000 to 3003 schools in 34 districts identified through the food insecurity exercise conducted by Vulnerability Analysis and Mapping Unit of WFP.

Since the food aid has shown good results overall and in districts like Buner and Kohistan, a demand was created for middle and high schools as well. Many assisted schools have been upgraded to middle level to accommodate the high number of primary graduates and increased demand for further schooling.

Unicef and other agencies are providing additional teachers, water supply and child friendly schools under an MoU worth $28 million.

The government increased its budgetary share from 5 per cent to 15 per cent for transportation of food and monitoring and has established project implementation units in each province.