The Kaduna State government announced on Thursday that it is committed to providing high-quality educational opportunities for “almajiri” children in the state. Additionally, the government revealed that around 25,000 pupils across the state’s 23 local councils have benefited from a school feeding programme that has cost N4 billion.
Dr. Fauziya Buhari-Ado, Special Assistant to Governor Uba Sani on the school feeding programme, shared this information in a statement released to newsmen in Abuja. The announcement came during an Eid el-Kabir Sallah celebration event at Umaru Musa Yar’Adua Bilingual Primary School in Maraban Gonda, Sabongari local council of Kaduna state.
Buhari-Ado explained that the event aimed to support pupils who are receiving both Western and Islamic education, as part of the government’s efforts to ensure that less privileged children have access to quality education in the state.
She highlighted that the school feeding programme has already cost the state government over N4 billion, which has led to increased school enrolment and retention, and stimulated the local economy. “No fewer than 25,000 school pupils across the state’s 23 local councils are benefiting from the programme,” she said.
The Eid celebration featured the slaughtering of a sacrificial ram, a special Eid lunch, cake cutting, and the distribution of gifts. Buhari-Ado noted that the event provided an opportunity to interact with pupils who were previously out-of-school children.
AbdulHamid Ahmed, an official from one of the Islamic schools, praised the school feeding initiative as a positive development. He noted that it has created an enabling environment for vulnerable children to have equal educational opportunities and has significantly increased school enrolment in his school.
The village head of Filin Malawa, Magaji Datiya, also expressed gratitude to Governor Sani’s administration for the thoughtful gesture.
