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JORDAN
The project was implemented under the regional partnership between Russia and UN WFP. Social and Industrial Foodservice Institute was providing technical support for the project.
The aim of the project was to support the National Government in the capacity development of the National School Feeding Programme in accordance with social welfare system and international quality standards by implementing of two major components of the programme:- providing fortified date bars to 350 000 primary school students; - providing technical support for the Government in improving the quality and sustainability of the National School Feeding Programme.
National school feeding programme was launched in Jordan since 1999 to improve the nutritional status of school children, enhance their school performance and to promote healthy eating and healthy lifestyle among the country population. In the programme framework children of preschool and primary school age (1 - 6 grades) are provided with fortified high-calorie date bars and a fruit. However, when in 2012 the country was hit by the financial and food crisis, Jordanian Government requested the UN World Food Programme (UN WFP) for support to the national efforts in school feeding development.
As a result, in November 2013 the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation of Jordan and UN WFP signed an addendum to the cooperation agreement for the implementation of UN WFP Development Project 200478 "Support for the National School Feeding Programme".
As a result, in November 2013 the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation of Jordan and UN WFP signed an addendum to the cooperation agreement for the implementation of UN WFP Development Project 200478 "Support for the National School Feeding Programme".
"Healthy Kitchen" Pilot Project Development and Implementation
Taking into account the characteristics and specifics of Jordan, as well as local traditions, in May 2014 SIFI signed an agreement on cooperation and collaboration with Jordanian Royal Health Awareness Society (RHAS), the result of this cooperation was the developed pilot project on the establishment of mini-bakery «Healthy Kitchen».
Purpose of the project is the development of production kitchens, creation of new jobs for women of local communities, improvement of their skills, the use of locally produced products and development of small businesses in the field of agriculture. «Healthy Kitchen» project has been implemented in Madaba since March 2015.
Within the framework of the project students from 10 schools are provided with hot meals, consisting of pastries made of local products (cheese, greens, and vegetables), one vegetable and one fruit. The bakery employs 10 women from the local community who have passed a series of training sessions on the basics of school meals production. The Bakery is accredited for compliance with the HACCP system. Only local raw materials are used in the production of school meals. Delivery to schools is carried out daily at the end of the third class.
Purpose of the project is the development of production kitchens, creation of new jobs for women of local communities, improvement of their skills, the use of locally produced products and development of small businesses in the field of agriculture. «Healthy Kitchen» project has been implemented in Madaba since March 2015.
Within the framework of the project students from 10 schools are provided with hot meals, consisting of pastries made of local products (cheese, greens, and vegetables), one vegetable and one fruit. The bakery employs 10 women from the local community who have passed a series of training sessions on the basics of school meals production. The Bakery is accredited for compliance with the HACCP system. Only local raw materials are used in the production of school meals. Delivery to schools is carried out daily at the end of the third class.
Comprehensive multi-stakeholder assessment of National School Feeding Programme was carried out as the first step in the preparation of recommendations to improve the sustainability and efficiency of the National Programme. It allowed to determine the qualitative and quantitative parameters of school feeding, to formulate a common vision of the situation in the country, identify gaps in the program and develop a roadmap (action plan) for the subsequent development of the program. Prior to the assessment SIFI specialists developed the methodology, which provided the involvement of all interested parties in the Jordanian Government.
Government involvement in the project implementation is concerned as one of the international school feeding quality standards for the successful implementation of the project. In this respect, in May, 2014 School Feeding Technical and Steering Committees were established. These Committees consisted of different level representatives of the Ministries of Education, Health, Agriculture, Planning, JFDA, Jordanian Armed Forces, World Food Programme, Royal Health Awareness Society (RHAS) and Social and Industrial Foodservice Institute. In January 2015 the High-Level Committee on development of National Strategy for Sustainable School Feeding was formed with the goal of coordinating and monitoring the development of the Strategy project, determination of its main purposes and directions.
When developing the National Strategy for Sustainable School Feeding, the specialists used WFP methodology on the development of sustainable school feeding strategy, the results of SABER-SF, the recommendations of the High-Level Committee on Strategy Development, as well as proposals of the Jordan's Ministry of Education, among which:
National Strategy for Sustainable School Feeding includes an assessment of the current status of school feeding, analysis of the program's key partners, the alternative to improve school feeding diets and their cost, funding optimization strategy, as well as the Roadmap for its implementation for the period of 2016 - 2018.
- strengthening the role of the Ministry in evaluation of key partners of the project and its development;
- including the information on international experience in the field of school feeding into the text of National Strategy for Sustainable School Feeding;
- extension of the concept of pilot project "Healthy Kitchen" as the main strategic objective of similar projects' development in Jordan.
National Strategy for Sustainable School Feeding includes an assessment of the current status of school feeding, analysis of the program's key partners, the alternative to improve school feeding diets and their cost, funding optimization strategy, as well as the Roadmap for its implementation for the period of 2016 - 2018.
For preparation of the Draft Strategy for Sustainable Funding of School Feeding the specialists performed an assessment of the school feeding cost, reflecting all the components of expenditures for school feeding and their effectiveness in Jordan, such as assessment of the actual cost of school feeding based on data for 2014 and analysis of the school feeding program's efficiency at the moment.
Based on these analytical researches, the specialists formulated proposals on introducing amendments to the school feeding program in order to improve it. In addition, the experts carried out the analysis of potential sources of the school feeding program funding, developed the proposals to attract additional sources.
Based on these analytical researches, the specialists formulated proposals on introducing amendments to the school feeding program in order to improve it. In addition, the experts carried out the analysis of potential sources of the school feeding program funding, developed the proposals to attract additional sources.
Systematic work to promote a culture of healthy feeding includes three areas: rational organization of feeding in the educational institution; inclusion in the educational process of educational programs on building a culture of healthy feeding and educational activities with children, parents, teachers and specialists of educational institutions. Implementation of these tasks in Jordan was carried out by the specialists of SIFI together with Jordan Pioneers (JP) Media Company. The aim of this cooperation was the development of a comprehensive plan to promote school feeding in Jordan for a three-year period.
Within the framework of the school feeding monitoring and evaluation system development and its integration with the existing Educational Management Information System (EMIS) the specialists performed an analysis of the capacity of local information systems in the field of education.
At the meeting of Technical Committee on November 27, 2014, it was decided to expand the system and its capabilities. During the work the following products were developed and submitted by SIFI to the Ministry of Education of Jordan:
Further work on monitoring and evaluation IMS system will be carried out through the representatives of EMIS Division, Ministry of Education of Jordan.
At the meeting of Technical Committee on November 27, 2014, it was decided to expand the system and its capabilities. During the work the following products were developed and submitted by SIFI to the Ministry of Education of Jordan:
- System operation manual for administrators and users;
- Site systems;
- Database systems;
- System installation manual;
- SQL-scripts for bulk import of schools were provided and work correctly;
- Full description of IMS.
Further work on monitoring and evaluation IMS system will be carried out through the representatives of EMIS Division, Ministry of Education of Jordan.
When addressing the task of creating a sustainable school feeding system and gradual acceptance of the responsibility for it in Jordan, professional training is one of the major tasks, which in future must have a program nature and be supported at all stages of the national workforce capacity formation. In order to identify the training needs, specialists conducted a questionnaire survey among the ministries' staff that revealed the most common gaps in the competencies for which it is necessary to conduct advanced training. Refresher training for trainers was also developed, as well as monitoring system and performance indexes (indicators) of the training; Annual refresher training for school feeding staff at the central, governorate, district and school levels was developed in line with the current gaps in competencies identified during the preliminary study. On June 10-11, 2015, the Amman city welcomed a training workshop, which was attended by representatives of 31 Directorates of the Ministry of Education.
Study visit to Russia was carried out in September 2014 in order to exchange the experience in the development and management of School feeding programmes. More detailed objectives of the visit were:
- To demonstrate practical achievements in the implementation of pilot projects on modernizing school feeding system in the Russian Federation;
- To show various models of school feeding in urban and rural schools, including the school meals production center and the regional center for training of school feeding system personnel;
- To share experience in sphere of regulatory basis development, modernization of equipment of school canteens, usage of school feeding models, financing and investment, training and promotion of healthy nutrition, involvement of local community.
More projects to elliminate hunger