NAN-H-91
Feeding
By Olayinka Olawale
Lagos, Jan. 19, 2017 (NAN) Some stakeholders in the education sector have appealed to the Federal Government to extend implementation of “a-meal-a-day” feeding programme for primary school pupils to other parts of the country.
They told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in separate interviews on Thursday in Lagos that government should avoid piece-meal implementation of the programme in the interest of the children.
NAN reports that the Federal Government had on Jan. 16, announced the release of over N400 million to five states in continuation of the Home Grown School Feeding Programme tagged, “a-meal-a-day”, a component of its Social Investment Programme.
The states include Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, Ogun and Oyo that started the programme in 2016.
According to the 2016 national budget, 5.5 million Nigerian primary school pupils are expected to be fed for 200 school days under the programme.
Government had appropriated N93.1 billion for the feeding scheme.
Mr Adeolu Ogunbanjo, the Second Vice President of the National Parents Teacher’s Association (NAPTAN), commended the Federal Government for starting implementation of the policy this year.
Ogunbanjo, however, frowned at the selective system of implementation as government started with just five states.
He said every Nigerian child deserves to benefit from the programme at the same time.
“Why are they doing it in piecemeal? Why should they be selective?
“There should be equality, so why should some states start before the others.
“If they want to start the implementation, let them start at once, and if they know they cannot fulfil it, let them tell us.
“It means they have failed in their campaign promise.
“I will appreciate if it can be done concurrently in all states, because this piecemeal implementation showed that you prefer one state to another and that is not too tidy,’’ he said.
Ogunbanjo urged the Federal Government to act fast on all campaign promises made almost two years into the tenure.
Also speaking, a retired Guidance and Counsellor, Mrs Grace Ojo, said government should avoid any strategy that might endanger the zeal of the children.
Ojo told NAN that many children were already salivating for the free meal, adding that many of them were attending school because of the government promise.
“As children, the free meal will boost their morale to want to attend school at all cost.
“So any mistake or delay of the programme may have consequences.
“It is about 20 months into this administration without the food; I believe this should have been the first policy to be implemented.
“Every child is equal; all states are equal too; so whatever is hindering the smooth take-off in all the states should be tackled urgently.
“The policy, if properly implemented, will boost pupils performance, increase enrolment level and reduce the number of out of school pupils,“ she told NAN.
A parent, Mrs Aminat Mohammed, also advised the government to extend the free meal to children in disadvantage states.
Mohammed, a trader, told NAN that children from very poor family would benefit more and appreciate government gesture towards them.
“I am appealing to government to fulfil its promise to all Nigerian children,’’ she said. (NAN)
OOG/AIB/AFA
Edited by Abdulfatah Babatunde/Felix Ajide
