By Julius Konton
Authorities at the Ministry of Education (MoE) have formally elevated school feeding to a core pillar of its national education and social protection agenda.
The decision is to address child hunger and learning inequality.
Education Minister Dr. Jarso M. Jallah, disclosed that the feeding program is now a top government priority.
Jallah cited widespread food insecurity and its direct impact on children’s ability to learn, remain in school and complete basic education.
Dr. Jallah: “A child cannot learn on an empty stomach.”
She underscored a reality faced by many Liberian households where poverty and food shortages continue to undermine educational outcomes.
In a landmark policy shift, Dr. Jallah said, the first time in history, the national budget now contains a dedicated line item for school feeding.
This, she said, signaled strong political commitment and long-term sustainability.
To support implementation, government has entered a strategic partnership with the World Food Program, which will provide technical and operational assistance over the next two years.
Following the transitional phase, there are plans to fully nationalize school feeding operations; placing them entirely under government control.
Education experts described the move as transformational, particularly in a country where the World Bank estimates that learning poverty defined as the inability to read and understand a simple text by age 10 remains alarmingly high.