COVID-19: FG School Feeding Programme, Efforts To Ease Suffering Of Public School Children, Says Lagos Education Permanent Secretary

The Federal Government, on Thursday, explained that it has decided to go ahead with the feeding of school children captured in its Home Grown School Feeding Programme, NHGSFP, even when schools were still shut down as a result of coronavirus pandemic, because of its commitment and determination to cushion the hardship vulnerable school children were facing at home following the COVID-19 lockdown.

The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar-Farouq, who explained government’s position, at the official launch of the modified scheme in Abuja, held at Kuje Central Primary School, said hunger, which she noted, was a by-product of the pandemic, necessitated government’s decision.

“Hunger is a serious by-product of this pandemic crisis, which is why from the onset the ministry has been evolving strategies to facilitate humanitarian interventions,” she said.

Mrs Farouq said her “ministry in consultation and collaboration with state governments identified the distribution of Take-Home Rations (THR) to the households of the children on the program as a feasible method of achieving this directive after exploring several options.”

“This is a globally accepted means of supporting children to continue to have access to nutrient-rich foods despite disruptions to the traditional channels of school feeding,” she added.

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She explained that the “program is funded by the Federal Government but implemented by the states.”

“Hunger is a serious by-product of this pandemic crisis, Farouq explained that “The commencement of the school feeding program is based on Mr President’s directive to the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development to liaise with State governments to develop strategies on the continuation of the school feeding program.”

In lieu of the aforementioned development, Dr Mrs Olufolayimika Ayandele, the Tutor General/Permanent Secretary of Lagos State Education District III, applauded federal government initiative in the reactivation/continuation of school children feeding program.

According to her, It is a welcome development because of the hardship that comes with coronavirus pandemic.

“Some of the school children’s parents do not have enough food at home to feed their children.

“But, with the support of home feeding of the school children, it will ease their suffering.

“The school children home feeding is a method of alleviating poverty amidst coronavirus pandemic, she said.

Ayandele, however, said that the feeding program has a positive influence on the students by encouraging them to go to school whenever schools resumed and also for them to be motivated to study online via e-learning.

“It is not all the public school children that their parents have access to the phone for there children to use to study online.

“But, the few ones that have access to the phone will be encouraged to study online once the food is available for them to consume.

“Government are really making drastic efforts to ensure that all children irrespective of there parents status are learning amid COVID-19 challenges.

“Government has made hardcopies study books available to schoolchildren across the board, which Lagos State Education District III took the lead in that direction, ” she said.

The permanent secretary commended the government for such initiative and enjoined NGOs, well-meaning Nigerians, and philanthropists to support the government developmental ambitions.