School feeding
in an odd hour
in an odd hour
By Uji
Abdullahi Iliyasu
Abdullahi Iliyasu
The Federal Ministry
of Education, through the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), had
introduced the feeding of children at school.
of Education, through the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), had
introduced the feeding of children at school.
The programme was introduced in 2016. The federal
government started the Home Grown School Feeding and Health Programme based on
the Universal Basic Education (UBE) Act 2014. The Act stipulates that, at least,
all state-owned primary schools must provide one meal a day to each pupil.
government started the Home Grown School Feeding and Health Programme based on
the Universal Basic Education (UBE) Act 2014. The Act stipulates that, at least,
all state-owned primary schools must provide one meal a day to each pupil.
The
programme has been acclaimed by many stakeholders as good for lifting the
burden of giving nutritious foods to children at home by their poor parents. For the home feeding of most school children was
everything but balanced diet. Children from poor parental backgrounds eat only
to survive.
programme has been acclaimed by many stakeholders as good for lifting the
burden of giving nutritious foods to children at home by their poor parents. For the home feeding of most school children was
everything but balanced diet. Children from poor parental backgrounds eat only
to survive.
The school
feeding was also aimed at raising children’s enrollment at schools. The meals,
fortified with vital vitamins and minerals, are good for the development of future
leaders. Therefore, the rare opportunity to enjoy these foods propelled school-age
children who had hitherto shunned western education to profess their love for it.
feeding was also aimed at raising children’s enrollment at schools. The meals,
fortified with vital vitamins and minerals, are good for the development of future
leaders. Therefore, the rare opportunity to enjoy these foods propelled school-age
children who had hitherto shunned western education to profess their love for it.
But recent
happenings in the presidency or government cycles indicate that something is
missing in the feeding programme or perhaps something delicious is found
in the business of school feeding by government officials.
happenings in the presidency or government cycles indicate that something is
missing in the feeding programme or perhaps something delicious is found
in the business of school feeding by government officials.
Why should
the federal government feed school children during the current lockdown
occasioned by the Coronavirus Pandemic? Why the feeding was transferred to the Ministry
of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development?
the federal government feed school children during the current lockdown
occasioned by the Coronavirus Pandemic? Why the feeding was transferred to the Ministry
of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development?
A critical Nigerian
will find that definitely there are some businesses, lucrative perhaps, in the
value chain of school feeding programme. This is why government will continue
the programme even when schools are not in session. It is like building
bridges where there are no rivers.
will find that definitely there are some businesses, lucrative perhaps, in the
value chain of school feeding programme. This is why government will continue
the programme even when schools are not in session. It is like building
bridges where there are no rivers.
In capitalism, an active individual
pursuing his personal business is also actively serving the interest of
the society. But in Nigeria, it seems we doubt the sincerity of government
officials on national assignments, not because they are bad, not because the citizens
are pessimists, but because few Nigerians can serve where their pecuniary needs
are not met. This is the reason why Nigerians whose files were found in
education agencies and institutions were only commanded by fate, but not by
choice.
pursuing his personal business is also actively serving the interest of
the society. But in Nigeria, it seems we doubt the sincerity of government
officials on national assignments, not because they are bad, not because the citizens
are pessimists, but because few Nigerians can serve where their pecuniary needs
are not met. This is the reason why Nigerians whose files were found in
education agencies and institutions were only commanded by fate, but not by
choice.
In the
Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations, you hardly find a young admission
seeker fresh from secondary school taking a course in education. They only choose
colleges of education as an afterthought; that is when their cut-off points
could not take them to universities or polytechnics.
Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations, you hardly find a young admission
seeker fresh from secondary school taking a course in education. They only choose
colleges of education as an afterthought; that is when their cut-off points
could not take them to universities or polytechnics.
This is why
most people who are in education business today, from primary to university
levels, were pushed there because they had no choice.
most people who are in education business today, from primary to university
levels, were pushed there because they had no choice.
Like
some critical education stakeholders, I find it odd that the new Federal Ministry
of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development should lead
the school feeding programme of the federal government instead of the Universal
Basic Education Commission (UBEC) of the Federal Ministry of Education.
some critical education stakeholders, I find it odd that the new Federal Ministry
of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development should lead
the school feeding programme of the federal government instead of the Universal
Basic Education Commission (UBEC) of the Federal Ministry of Education.
It is more amusing
for the Humanitarian Affairs Ministry to feed Nigerian school children at
a time schools were not in session due to Covid-19 national lockdown. And who will feed the beggar-children are all
over the North with rubber containers in hand, searching for food in the
dustbin?
for the Humanitarian Affairs Ministry to feed Nigerian school children at
a time schools were not in session due to Covid-19 national lockdown. And who will feed the beggar-children are all
over the North with rubber containers in hand, searching for food in the
dustbin?
Where is the
money to feed school children when vulnerable parents and households were receiving
one or a couple of milk-cup of rice as lockdown palliatives?
money to feed school children when vulnerable parents and households were receiving
one or a couple of milk-cup of rice as lockdown palliatives?
Even though Covid-19
is a disaster, are the children being fed by humanitarian affairs ministry victims
of covid-19?
is a disaster, are the children being fed by humanitarian affairs ministry victims
of covid-19?
It is
annoying that stakeholders are not questioning the purpose of feeding children
at home in a lockdown. If the government is so magnanimous to do that then
they can also feed the children during holidays on normal days.
annoying that stakeholders are not questioning the purpose of feeding children
at home in a lockdown. If the government is so magnanimous to do that then
they can also feed the children during holidays on normal days.
The energy dissipated
in the value chain of business of school feeding and the changing responsibility
from Federal Ministry of Education to Humanitarian Affairs Ministry shows that
there is some ulterior motive in the whole exercise.
in the value chain of business of school feeding and the changing responsibility
from Federal Ministry of Education to Humanitarian Affairs Ministry shows that
there is some ulterior motive in the whole exercise.
Therefore, the
National Assembly will not help Nigerians if the combined Basic Education Committees
of the Senate and the House of Representatives fail in their oversight functions
by beaming their searchlight on the activities of Humanitarian Ministry as it
relates to the ongoing school feeding.
National Assembly will not help Nigerians if the combined Basic Education Committees
of the Senate and the House of Representatives fail in their oversight functions
by beaming their searchlight on the activities of Humanitarian Ministry as it
relates to the ongoing school feeding.
Speaking at the
flag-off in Kuje area council of the FCT, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs,
Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouk said the programme
would impact more than three million households across the country.
flag-off in Kuje area council of the FCT, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs,
Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouk said the programme
would impact more than three million households across the country.
Also in her
speech at the inaugural meeting of United Nations Covid-19 Basket Fund meeting in
Abuja recently she said, “The home-grown school feeding programme will provide
take home food rations to 3.1 million households of school children from poor homes
at designated centres, using existing structure across the states and LGAs.”
speech at the inaugural meeting of United Nations Covid-19 Basket Fund meeting in
Abuja recently she said, “The home-grown school feeding programme will provide
take home food rations to 3.1 million households of school children from poor homes
at designated centres, using existing structure across the states and LGAs.”
By using the
extant structure to execute the feeding programmes, children of parents who
cannot afford uniforms to send their children to enjoy the free basic education,
but are in dire need of the palliative, were schemed out. And is the
Humanitarian Affairs Ministry using school registers to share the food? What about
the street children whose names are not in school registers? And if the food
rations are taken home, what is the probability that only school children eat
the food?
extant structure to execute the feeding programmes, children of parents who
cannot afford uniforms to send their children to enjoy the free basic education,
but are in dire need of the palliative, were schemed out. And is the
Humanitarian Affairs Ministry using school registers to share the food? What about
the street children whose names are not in school registers? And if the food
rations are taken home, what is the probability that only school children eat
the food?