Nigeria’s federal government has announced plans to relaunch the suspended school feeding programme, aimed at increasing school attendance and reducing the number of out-of-school children in Nigeria.
Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, made the announcement during a meeting with the House of Representatives Committee on Alternative Education.
Edun reaffirmed the government’s commitment to strengthening education, stating that “through a lineup of initiatives, every child would be provided with access to quality education.”
He emphasised that the initiatives would “positively impact the national budget by providing sufficient resources to support and sustain the educational programs.”
The Home-Grown School Feeding Program, which provides meals to students, is designed to improve their health and well-being, and incentivize them to remain in school.
Edun noted that “feeding children at school would not only improve their health and well-being but also incentivise them to remain in school, thereby reducing the number of out-of-school children.”
The minister also highlighted the government’s dedication to tackling critical issues through innovative initiatives like the “Secretariat for Financing Safe Schools” and the “Home-Grown School Feeding Program.”
He assured that “as the government continues to prioritise education, Nigeria’s future generations can expect improved access to quality learning, setting the stage for a brighter, and more prosperous tomorrow.”
The announcement came after President Bola Tinubu suspended all programmes administered by the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA) on January 12, including the school feeding programme, due to alleged irregularities.
The suspension followed the suspension of Halima Shehu as CEO of NSIPA on January 2, and Betta Edu as Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation on January 8.
The House of Representatives had earlier called for the resumption of the suspended social investment initiatives on March 13, and later decided to probe the suspended school feeding programme, argued that a complete cancellation ‘may cause more harm’.
Boluwatife Enome
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