Attending preschool a way for poor kids to get nutritional meal

KUALA LUMPUR: Attending preschool is not all about getting a child ready for their schooling years where they will learn and interact with others.

For poor families, it is possibly the only place where their kids can get a nutritional meal.

Currently, children at public preschools receive free meals that are heavily subsidised by the government.

These dishes – which are clean, nutritious and balanced – are prepared based on the guidelines from the Health Ministry to meet the appropriate caloric and macronutrient requirements for a growing child.

World Bank Senior Education Specialist Dr Aija Maarit Rinkinen said nutrition and health are among issues facing Malaysian preschools.

“Providing proper food to children is not only about giving them healthy food, it is also a way to educate them about nutrition and its importance,” she added.

In this year’s national budget, the preschool food aid was increased from RM89mil to RM108mil, a 21% increase.

This is expected to increase the food aid from RM2 to RM2.50 per child in the peninsula and RM2.25 to RM2.75 in Sabah and Sarawak.

According to the World Bank “Shaping First Steps: A Comprehensive Review of Preschool Education in Malaysia” report, 14.1% of Malaysian children under five are underweight, 21.8% are suffering from stunting, 9.7% from wasting and 5.6% are overweight and obese, with the trend worsening.

The report suggests that the food assistance rate for preschools be reviewed to evaluate if the allowance is sufficient to meet the nutritional and developmental needs of children.

“Food prices are rising and parents are finding it more and more difficult to afford nutritious food,” said Rinkinen.