The National Home Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP) –is part of a N500 billion funded social investment programme designed by the Federal Government to tackle poverty, improve the health and education of children...
• Over 100,000 pupils await continuation of programme in Ondo• Osun vendors lament hike in food prices • Criticisms trail programme in Anambra
Across the states, there are reports on the gains and pains of the scheme, how NHGSFP has increased school enrolment and reduced absenteeism and the challenges. In Enugu state for instance, officials of the programme claimed that it is feeding pupils in 799 out of the 1200 public primary schools in the state, since it commenced in February 2017. The present figure leaves a gap of about 400 schools not covered.
He stated that apart from improving enrolment, the programme has created jobs and brought peace in some homes where hitherto, some women were jobless. “A good meal now is not less than N1000 because of the cost of items. In this programme, what they started paying us since 2017 is what they are still paying and they want us to maintain the same meal standard. I do not think it is possible because we buy from the same market. So, I want to tell you that some of us are asking for reviews to enable us to do the work. I have not stopped. I still cook for my school. The challenge there is the cost of items,” Mrs.
Out of this figure, however, only 1,225,804 pupils are currently benefiting from the scheme, leaving out about 1,314,978 pupils. Similarly, the scheme is only operational in 5,200 public primary schools out of 6,638 across 44 councils, while about 1,438 schools are missing out of the scheme. Besides, he said the scheme has provided job opportunities to over 12,000 cooks and hundreds of people who were in turn engaged by the cooks. Local farmers, Zubairu said, are also smiling to the bank as a result of huge market opportunities.
Besides, he disclosed that there is standardised measuring equipment to make the food more nutritious. A father who has two pupils at LEA Kawo Primary School, Saidu Usman, said the resumption of the scheme will relieve him of the stress of feeding his children and appealed to the government not to suspend it again.
The Guardian learnt that the engagement was to ensure successful enumeration exercise for pupils across primary schools, who have been benefitting from the scheme. Senior Special Adviser to the governor on multilateral and intergovernmental relations, who is the state focal person, Mrs. Bunmi Ademosu, said data accuracy is vital to the success of the scheme. He said the figures are expected to be reviewed every four months but has not been done in the last four years.
Head Teacher of Modern Primary School, Mgbuosimini in Obio/Akpor council, Mrs. Umoroduah Lima, said the programme is boosting enrolment and encouraging pupils to pay more attention to learning in school. Visits to some primary schools in Osogbo, showed that food vendors have not resumed work since the third term started.
Corroborating Ojerinde’s submission, another food vendor, Mrs. Morufat Ganiyu, serving at Ansaru Deen Primary School, Isale Osun, said all vendors did not work during the lockdown since pupils were at home. The programme manager, Mrs. Uzoamaka Eriken, said a survey carried out showed a reasonable improvement in pupils’ enrolment across the state.
“We carried out a nutrition survey and saw some improvement on the pupils: the height, results and performance. We urge the Federal Government to intervene and extend the scheme to primary four and five classes.” She said the state is working hard to scale up the programme, reduce poverty and increase enrolment, while parents have shown appreciation and satisfaction for the programme.
Reports indicated that contractors were appointed to supply meals based on the Federal Government’s template and supervised by the state coordinator, Dr. Summaya Hamza. Coordinator of the State Universal Basic Education Board , Mrs. Nda Isa, who spoke on whether contractors were being paid their emoluments as and when due, told The Guardian that the payment is not consistent.
Apart from saving parents the cost of providing lunch, the programme was designed to create opportunities for standard and balanced meals, healthier pupils, boosted enrolment, employment and income for cooks and farmers.
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