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Tag: School Feeding

  • FG to Deworm 10m Children in School-Feeding Programme

    FG to Deworm 10m Children in School-Feeding Programme

    The federal government has flagged off a campaign to deworm 10 million children under the school homegrown feeding programme.

    The project will be carried out by Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health.

    Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq, declared the exercise open at a training for federal and zonal officers held in Kano on Wednesday August 31.

    Sadiya who was represented by the Special Assistant to the President on National Investment Programme, Muhammad Nasiru Mahmoud, said while there are 10 million beneficiaries across the 36 states, 1,225,804 Kano pupils are currently under the homegrown school feeding programme aimed at addressing the socio-economic imbalance in Nigeria through the National School Homegrown Feeding Programme.

    The Minister noted that children are prone to infections, especially parasites, no matter how well a child is fed. She also said the ministry she heads in collaboration with the Ministry of Health came up with the initiative to deworm all the children under the school feeding to ensure the effectiveness of the programme.

    National Social Investment Programme in Kano, Baba Aminu Zubair, on his own part said at the beginning of the programme, the number of enrollment was not so high because people were not aware but, when people saw the benefit, the numbers had increased in multitude.

    He said;

    “In addition, the state government is also feeding from primary four to six in the schools. From the last school census we had, we have an increase of over 700,000 pupils which currently we are working with the National Bureau for Statistics to see that this number has been translated into the programme so that they will also benefit.”

  • School Feeding Programme address child malnutrition, boost local economy – Sadiya Farouq

    School Feeding Programme address child malnutrition, boost local economy – Sadiya Farouq

    By Joyce Remi- Babayeju

    Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development Sadiya Umar Farouq has said that the National Home Grown School Feeding Programme will address the problem of malnutrition among children in Nigeria.

    In a press release signed by Halima Oyelade , SA Strategy Communications of the ministry made available to Daybreak Farouq disclosed this on Thursday June 17th in Ilorin during a courtesy visit to Gov. AbdulRazaq AbdulRahman.

    The Minister, who was represented by the Special Assistant to the President on the National Social Investment Programme (SAPNSIP), Dr Nasiru Mahmud, said that they were in the State to assess the preparedness of the State for the implementation of National Home Grown School Feeding Programme.

    She noted that one of objectives of the programme was to address the problem of malnutrition among school pupils in Nigeria.
    The minister explained that research has shown that malnutrition among Nigerian children was high, adding that through the school feeding programme, the problem is being addressed.

    She added that another objective of the programme is to boost local economy because the food is bought from local farmers and vendors, saying that it creates a long value chain.

    According to the minister the national ongoing school feeding programme is one of the four interventions implemented under the National Social Investment Programme, adding that Kwara is one of the two states in Nigeria that are not enrolled into the programme.

    “The Ministry is concerned and came down to Kwara to assess the level of preparedness of the State to commence the programmme and the necessary support the State requires for the programme to take-off.”

    “We are happy with what we have seen, the state government is ready for the programme.”

    “Over 1, 500 public primary schools have been identified and over 96, 000 pupils of primary one to three spread across the 16 local government areas of the State will benefit.”

    The role of federal government is to provide money for the feeding and make sure the States comply with set guidelines for implementing the programmme.”the Minister said.

    In her Response, Hajia Bashirat Abdulrazaq, the State Focal person, National Social Investment Programme in Kwara, assured the Minister’s team of the state government’s readiness for the programme.

    She said over 1,947 cooks were on ground to benefit from the programme, adding that there would be revalidation as the programme goes on, adding that the programme will boost the enrollment of pupils and reduce malnutrition among children in the State.

    She disclosed that some cooks employed were the parents of the school pupils, so as the parents benefit, the children benefit and the poor farmers who are the fathers also benefit.

    “So we target the poor vulnerable people to eradicate poverty in Nigeria,” she said.

    Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq commended the federal government for the programme.

    AbdulRazaq, who was represented by his deputy, Kayode Alabi, commended the Federal Government for initiating the programme to reduce the number of out of school children while also helping local farmers and create employment opportunities.
    The governor assured the team of the State government’s support and cooperation.