Sisi tells his ministers every step leading to meals in the hands of Egypt's schoolchildren should be closely monitored

CAIRO – 29 August 2021: President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi told his ministers on Sunday that all the steps and procedures leading to giving schoolchildren meals should be monitored closely.

Sisi said the processes of manufacturing, production, storage, and distribution should be of high quality to give the children the best possible meal in terms of form, content, and integrated nutritional value that suits each age group. He added that the meals should create a healthy diet for the younger generations and raise awareness on proper nutrition to be part of the children’s personalities.

The president discussed the meals with Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, and the ministers of supply, education, international cooperation, finance, local development, health, and agriculture.

Presidential spokesperson Bassam Rady said the meeting also tackled the nutritional and health system of schoolchildren and the efforts to treat and prevent diseases that result from malnutrition.

Head of Silo Foods company, Taimour Aboul Magd, also attended the meeting. Sisi inaugurated Silo Foods on Aug. 3, whereby the company’s main mission is producing meals for schoolchildren.

President Sisi stated during the inauguration ceremony that the government is working on offering standard meals “presented in a nice way” to schoolchildren. The cost of such meals annually is estimated at LE7.7 billion given that the cost of each meal is LE6-7, the president pointed out.

Minister of Education and Technical Education Tarek Shawky indicated that eight million Egyptian children suffer from anemia because of eating non-nutritious food. He added that the meals will be customized to meet the health conditions of children as those suffering from anemia or stunting will be offered different ones.

Shedding light on the prevalence rates of anemia, obesity and stunting among children, President Sisi reiterated that people must give care to “the quality not the number” stressing the necessity of family planning.

For her part, Minister of Health Hala Zayed noted that 20 percent of Egyptians suffer from obesity, 10 million (out of 100 million) suffer from hypertension, and three million suffer from diabetes.

Zayed underscored that the ministry managed to grant children diagnosed with anemia dietary supplements. As for stunting, she added that needs for growth hormone among Egyptian stunted children are fulfilled by 100 percent.

The minister pointed out that stunting does not just affect the height but also makes the child vulnerable to becoming diabetic. Zayed added that the rate of stunting has not improved while that of obesity has risen among children so as only anemia declined.

Regarding disparities in anemia rates among governorates, the prevalence is higher in Upper Egyptian ones, mainly Asyut and Sohag.

"Silo Foods will be providing nutrition not just food," health minister underscored pointing out that the meals provided to children with anemia will include cheese and sweet tahini (Halawa).

“We also aim for launching outlets like kiosks near schools and children outing venues so they would be buying nutritious snacks like biscuits,” Minister Zayed added.