School Feeding Initiative: Enugu Pupils Consume N8m Daily — FG

The Nigerian government, Tuesday, claimed that 114, 261 pupils in public schools in Enugu State consume food worth N7,998,270 daily.

Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development minister Hajiya Sadiya Farouq disclosed this at the ongoing Monitoring and Enumeration of Beneficiaries of the National Homegrown School Feeding Programme at Igbariam Primary School 1, Achara Layout, Enugu.

Represented by Ms Adanne Wadibia-Anyanwu, team leader, Enugu State Monitoring and Enumeration of the programme, Farouq said the government engaged 1,532 cooks to ensure the success of the initiative in the state.

She said, “We are doing enumeration and biometric data capturing of the pupils enrolled under the programme, getting feedbacks from cooks and head-teachers under the programme.

“We want to keep up-to-date records of the programme and make it more responsive as well as meet the beneficiaries to get real-time feedback.

“The current enumeration and bio-data capturing is a building block towards the expansion of the programme to include more pupils and schools in the state.

“President Muhammadu Buhari had earlier announced his laudable intention of an additional five million pupils to be enrolled in the programme nationwide.

“The ministry also wants to know how the programme is being managed on a daily basis, the resources available and if there are shortfalls before the expansion would be done to tighten loose ends.”

According to her, the initiative, which began on Feb. 8, 2017 in the state, increased pupil’s enrollment in public schools.

“The programme has helped in the concentration of the pupils during classes since some of them do not feed, or are under-fed at home before coming to school each day,’’ she said.

Farouq said the programme currently has 9,196,823 pupils nationwide, with a total of 107, 000 cooks supplying the food, which is home-made for the pupils nationwide.

Quoting her, “The programme has a lot of multiplier effects. It has assisted farmers to expand food production and employ more hands in the farms as well as the cooks also employing more hands to assist them.”

The headmistress of the primary school, Mrs Salome Obi, expressed joy over the scheme.

According to her, “Apart from increasing enrollment, it has helped in pupils’ retention ability.

“After eating the meals each day, you see the pupils enlivened and eager to continue with their learning rather than feeling dull or hungry.”

Some of the pupils interviewed commended the federal government for the initiative, and called for its sustenance.