Prior to COVID-19, an estimated 129 million children received daily school meals in Asia and the Pacific region. School feeding programmes have served diverse objectives, such as addressing short-term hunger among school-age children and incentivising school enrolment, attendance, and retention, among others. As part of COVID-19 containment measures, in April 2020, schools were closed in the entire region, resulting in significant disruptions in school feeding programmes.

Against this backdrop, the WFP Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific commissioned Oxford Policy Management (OPM) to do a review of School Feeding programme adaptations in light of school closures, conducting over 105 key interviews.

During this webinar, the findings of the study were presented. It provided insights into the alternative measures undertaken by governments and partners to mitigate the impacts of the school closures on SF programmes, the lessons learned, and what the implications are for school feeding amidst the ongoing pandemic.

Panellists:

• John Aylieff, WFP
• Maham Farhat, OPM
• Donald Bundy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
• Brenda Barton, WFP Philippines
• Martin Parreno, WFP Philippines
• Kamani Gunaratne, Government of Sri Lanka

Moderator:Carmen Burbano, WFP