**Fatshimétrie: School canteens to nourish knowledge**
In this year 2023, a wind of change is blowing on the Congolese education system with the announcement by the government of the upcoming establishment of school canteens in various schools in the country. This ambitious initiative, scheduled to be fully operational by 2024, is part of the Education and Training Sector Strategy 2016-2025.
This decision was warmly welcomed by various stakeholders in the education community, including teachers, parents of students and international organizations involved in the field of education and food. Indeed, school canteens offer multiple benefits for the development of children on the educational, social and nutritional levels.
First of all, school canteens help to ensure a healthy and balanced diet for children, ensuring that they benefit from nutritious meals throughout the day. Adequate nutrition is essential to promote students’ concentration, memorization and learning abilities. In addition, by guaranteeing children one meal per day at school, school canteens help combat malnutrition and improve their general health.
In addition, these collective catering spaces promote the socialization of students by offering them the opportunity to share a friendly moment around a meal, thus strengthening ties within the educational community. School canteens can also be a real lever for social inclusion, by guaranteeing all children equal access to quality food.
For this national school feeding program to be fully effective, it is essential to ensure its proper implementation. This implies in particular the need to guarantee the quality of the meals served, by favoring fresh, local and varied foods. It is also crucial to ensure the food safety of students by respecting hygiene standards and controlling the supply chain.
School canteens should be implemented gradually in different schools in the country, starting with those located in the most disadvantaged areas and taking into account local specificities. It is essential to involve all stakeholders in the implementation of this program, involving local authorities, parents, teachers and civil society actors.
In short, the introduction of school canteens in Congolese schools represents a major step forward for children’s education. By providing them with quality food, promoting their social development and strengthening their access to education, this program will undeniably contribute to nurturing knowledge and building a better future for Congolese youth.