FG Re-introduces School Feeding Programme

By Ene Idoko

In a bid to address the challenges of out of school children, the Federal Government has directed that the school feeding programme be reintroduced in the basic educational system in the country.

Minister of Education, Professor Tahir Mamman who made this known at a one day retreat on Ministerial deliverables 2023-2027, explained that in line with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, the home grown school feeding programme was reintroduced towards returning 15m children back to the classroom by 2027.

According to the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization, UNESCO, Nigeria is currently having about 20 million out of school children.

This is why the minister of Education, Professor Tahir Mamman restated the Federal Government’s commitment to reduce the number.

He expressed concern that it was an embarrassment that Nigeria was continually associated with the highest number of out of school children in the world.

Professor Tahir emphasized that the Tinubu led administration was poised to reinvigorate focus on basic education by ensuring harmonization, coordination of resources and activities amongst all tiers of governments as well as development partners.

The minister noted that the school feeding program had been moved from the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs to the Federal ministry of Education for monitoring and effective implementation.

Also, the minister of state for Education, Dr Yusuf Sununu maintained that the sector would continue to evolve ways of developing and strengthening the education system in the country.

Chief of Education, United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, Saadhna Panday urges the government to come up with decisive measures by reviewing and reforming the sector.

Miss Panday assured that UNICEF was committed to providing necessary support in ensuring that it improves the standard of education in Nigeria.

Edited By Grace Namiji