Governor Nasir el-Rufai Begins Free Feeding Of Public Primary School Pupils

Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State has announced the beginning of free feeding of all public primary schools pupils on January 17, 2016.

Addressing a news conference in Kaduna, the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Mallam Shehu Usman Adamu, explained that  public primary schools would resume on January 17, while secondary schools would resume on  January 11.

He said arrangements were in top gear to fine tune the readiness of food vendors and schools to facilitate effective delivery of the free feeding programme when the schools resume.

Adamu added that between  January 11 and 15,  vendors that would take part in the programme would meet with the school authorities for their logistics.

According to the commissioner, the vendors,  recruited in each of the 255 wards, had been organised into cooperative societies to serve free meals in every primary school in the state.

Adamu added: “The past few months have been a busy time for the Kaduna State Ministry of Education.

He said: ‘‘During this time, the government has begun a programme of school rehabilitation, teachers’ recruitment and training needs assessment for current teachers.

‘‘Each of these initiatives has recorded tremendous progress, and these priority areas will continue to command the attention of the government in the current session and beyond.”

“As you are aware, the 2016 Budget makes ample provision for this government’s School Feeding programme. This intervention in improving the nutrition of our young pupils commences this term, from the very first day that school resumes. This intervention reinforces our thrust to expand access to education”

The commissioner added: “Therefore, the school feeding programme will be formally launched when pupils in government-owned primary schools in Kaduna State resume on Monday, 17 January 2016.

This will afford the primary school pupils 11 weeks of tuition, with no loss of academic time. However, secondary schools across the state will resume as scheduled”

Academic activities in secondary schools will commence on Monday, 11 January 2016, while boarders are expected to return to school by 10 January 2016”

Source - http://tribuneonlineng.com/el-rufai-begins-free-feeding-of-public-primary-school-pupils