The federal government has concluded plans to start a school feeding programme for Almajiri Integrated Schools as part of the transformation agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan.
This was disclosed at the weekend by the Minister of National Planning, Dr Abubakar Sulaiman, during a strategic stakeholders’ roundtable on the milestone achievements on the Almajiri Integrated Schools programme organised by the National Planning Commission, NPC.
The roundtable, organised with the aim of assessing the strategic milestone achievements of the programme, was also used in deliberating on the next steps to be taken in order to advance the programme.
Sulaiman said: “In the next four years, going forward, the successor Transformation Agenda will introduce school feeding programme for the Almajiri Integrated Schools.”
According to him, the feeding programme is a project that would support government action towards achieving relevant aspects of the Millennium Development Goals, MDGs.
He explained that the overall objective of the programme was to reduce hunger and malnutrition among children in the Almajiri schools.
He noted that it was also designed to strengthen the achievements of Universal Basic Education in addressing the gaps in basic education in disadvantaged states and bring the Almajiri Integrated System into the mainstream of the National Educational policy in the country.
He said: “Every pupil in the school is expected to be fed with a quality and adequate ration comprising of three square meals and snacks/fruits each school day and weekends.
“It is pertinent to note that incorporation of agricultural programme and vocational components should be given critical attention”.
.
Comments