KUALA LUMPUR - About 4,000 students from 100 schools across Malaysia on Monday (Jan 20) were given free meals before the beginning of classes, part of a government programme to help poor students who could not afford a proper meal at home.

Under the food supplementary programme launched by the Education Ministry on Monday, students in the morning session will get free breakfast between 7 and 7.30am, while those in the afternoon session will get lunch between 12.30pm and 2pm, The Sun newspaper reported on its website.