The Federal Government of Nigeria has hinted on plans to relaunch the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP) , a critical initiative designed to increase school attendance by providing meals to students.
Honourable Minister of Financial and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun dropped the hint on Thursday while receiving the House of Representatives Committee on Alternate Education in his office in Abuja.
He explained that feeding children at school would not only improve their health and well-being but also incentivize them to remain in school, thereby reducing the number of out-of-school children.
TheFact Daily reports that the programme which was launched in 2005 and re-launched in 2016, during the immediate past administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, was suspended on January 12, 2024 by President Bola Tinubu due to poor quality of food, irregular supplies and late disbursement of funds.
The programme was designed to increase school enrollment and retention rates, and was also intended to support the economy by sourcing food from smallholder farmers and generating jobs for the unemployed Nigerians.
The government plans to expand the programme to reach 20 million children by 2025.
Joined by the Honourable Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, HM Edun, reaffirmed Federal Government’s Commitment to Strengthening Education through a range of initiatives with a view to ensuring that every child is provided with access to quality education.
In his address, the Minister highlighted key progress in enhancing school security, including the establishment of the Secretariat for Financing Safe Schools in January 2022. This initiative, which originated from a 2021 high-level forum, is focused on implementing a national plan to strengthen school security from 2023 to 2026. The Scheme integrates security measures with community-based efforts to ensure the safety of students.
The Director of Information and Public Relations of the Ministry, Mohammed Manga, in a statement said, while addressing broader economic concerns, the Minister spotlighted the federal government’s strategies under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Administration, especially in the educational sector. He expressed optimism that these initiatives would positively impact the national budget by providing sufficient resources to support and sustain the educational programs.
With the federal government’s renewed commitment to education, Nigeria is poised to witness a significant reduction in the number of out-of-school children. The Honourable Minister’s presentation highlighted the administration’s dedication to tackling this critical issue through innovative initiatives like the Secretariat for Financing Safe Schools and the Home-Grown School Feeding Program.
As the government continues to prioritize education, Nigeria’s future generations can expect improved access to quality learning, setting the stage for a brighter, and more prosperous tomorrow.
