School milk in Iran

The free school milk programme is an international project, implemented in 60 countries with the aim of eradicating malnutrition and adding the necessary nutrients to the daily diet of children in these countries.

Health officials from various international organisations in the world, see the programme as a major step toward elimination of poverty and in recognising the significance of the programme FAO celebrates the last Wednesday in September as “World School Milk Day”.
 
The “National School Milk Programme” in Iran, is considered to be the largest in the world in terms of the number of students covered.

The scheme was first implemented in Iran in the year 2000. It initially, covered 420,000 schoolchildren in 9 deprived provinces of the country. The success of the programme prompted officials to expand the scheme to cover 1.2 million students in the following school year. During the third and fourth year of the programme, 2.9m and 6m pupils respectively were given free milk at school.

Staunch support from the government made it possible for 8 million children in kindergartens and primary schools – over half of all schoolchildren in the country – to receive free milk during the last Iranian school year.

Production and distribution of milk in Iranian schools
Total production of milk in Iran during the past Iranian year was 6.7 million tonnes, out of which 1.225 million tonnes were used as subsidised milk for the public and at schools.

Private sector companies that undertake the delivery of the milk to schools also produce the major part of sterilised milk in the country. However, the difficult and impractical task of delivering pasteurised milk to far-flung schools, has made it necessary to use UHT milk in Tetra Pak packaging which are long life and need no refrigeration. Tetra Pak’s significant discount on such packaging, which are specially made for The School Milk Programme, is part of the private sector assistance to the scheme.

Milk distribution is going to be either in 250ml packs 5 times every two weeks or in 200ml packs three times a week. Officials are trying to use the best and easiest-to-handle packaging in order to deliver the most hygienic product to children.

Iran’s Free School Milk Programme, is run by the National Iranian School Milk Committee that includes representatives from the Ministries of Agriculture, Education, Welfare, Health, Commerce and Management and Programming Organisation.

School Milk Committee Website