Government says 5.6 million pupils in 8,800 schools get free nshima, and plans to pay cooks and buy from local farmers from 2027

More than 5.6 million learners in about 8,800 public schools in all ten provinces are receiving a free school meal, the Ministry of Education says. Dr Kelvin Mwambwe, Permanent Secretary for Educational Services, gave the figures on Monday as he described how the School Feeding Programme is changing. The programme was expanded in 2021 under the free education policy. It gives a basic meal, usually nshima, to children whose parents cannot afford to feed them, in order to keep them in class. It leans heavily on volunteers from the community, especially women who cook for the pupils. Dr Mwambwe said government is now working out how to pay them. Through a Cash for Work arrangement, the Ministry of Education is considering working with the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development so that cooks are paid and schools are not left without anyone to prepare food. From next year, the programme will also open up to farmers. Dr Mwambwe said small-scale farmers and registered cooperatives will be encouraged to supply produce to schools, and district education offices will pay them when the food is delivered. The ministry has also started a milk pilot in early childhood education this year, in 45 districts where children need extra nutrition, with the aim of reducing stunting and helping children concentrate. The report did not give the cost of the programme, how much cooks will be paid, or where the money will come from. ## Why it matters For many families, a school meal is the difference between a child going to class hungry or staying home. Most Zambians do not have bank loans or regular wages, and food prices hit them first, so a guaranteed meal at school eases pressure on the household. If local farmers sell to schools, some of the money will stay in the villages where the children live. The risk is that a programme which depends on unpaid volunteers can fail when they stop, which is why the plan to pay cooks matters. ## What happens next The ministry has not