SHREWSBURY, Massachusetts — Northern Mali is experiencing a dramatic increase in children returning to school. The increase in attendance is due in part to the World Food Programme’s school meals which are supported by the European Commission’s Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection Department (ECHO).
School attendance began to drastically decline after the Tuareg rebellion in 2012. The nation descended into chaos when the region was overtaken by extremists. The civil war that ensued lead to the breakdown of law and order, causing many to flee to neighboring countries. While ECHO continued to provide support for those remaining in the country, the northern region experienced increased instability due to a lack of food security.
Beginning in 2013, the government of Mali began a back-to-school campaign to help the country return to normalcy after years of civil war. The violence of the civil war caused a disruption in the education of many of the children. The government’s “Peace is back, school is back” initiative seeks to assist 500,000 children enroll in school. This ten-year program plans to improve education at all levels.
The World Food Programme (WFP) supports this campaign. The organization has implemented a school feeding program so that children can depend on daily, nutrient-rich meals. The opportunity to obtain two meals a day at school makes students healthier and helps to improve food security for the entire community. Parents are more willing to allow their children to attend school when they know that their children will be taken care of and fed.
The WFP began the school meal program in Mali in 2013. In the schools where the food program was implemented, enrollment has increased by more than 20 percent. The assurance of meals at school has also helped to improve daily attendance rates. Breakfast in the morning serves as an incentive for students to arrive at school on time.
Despite the WFP’s success, education in Mali continues to be an obstacle, especially in the north. A combination of a lack of qualified teachers, damaged infrastructure and household obligations keep many children from attending school. Only about 33 percent of adults in the country are literate. Currently, enrollment is at 80 percent, with 70.7 percent of girls attending school.
Although the attendance rate is increasing, the quality of education remains poor. Each year, as little as 54 percent of boys and 44.8 percent of girls attending school reach the achievement rate for their grade level. The low rating is due to large class sizes, unqualified teachers and lack of resources.
Despite the conditions and quality of education, the WFP’s school meal program, with funding from ECHO, is an essential piece to the improvement of education in Mali. Currently, the organization is able to feed over 130,000 in 617 schools. The program hopes to expand its meal service to 200,000 more students in northern Mali by the end of 2014.
Sources: WFP, European Commission, UNICEF
Photo: Citylab