The Federal Government has announced that school feeding programme that was discontinued would soon return stronger and better than it was.
It said unlike the previous practice where selected schools were chosen for the programme, the President has announced that it would be for basic education in its entirety.
Director of Basic Education at the Ministry of Education, Dr. Folake Olatunji, made this known in Abuja at the official launch and fundraising of Create that Change Development Initiative (CCDI).
She said: “For nutrition, we all know that we have the national homegrown school feeding programme that has been put on hold for now but would be coming on back stronger and better to ensure that children are fed.
“Before now it was just for a segment of primary schools, but the President has announced that it would be for basic education in its entirety.
“So we are planning. We don’t want to come out without proper planning to ensure proper implementation as we receive the directive, so that even if it is the whole of primary schools or basic education it would be done properly.
“But he has announced publicly that we are going full scale with this national homegrown school feeding programme. So we await further directives on this.”
Founder, Mrs Sharon Ayeni, said the vision of CCDI is to take Enhanced Nutrition, Exercise and Reading Initiative (ENERI) to every state in the federation.
She said CCDI would be working on different segments, which includes the Build Her Initiative which seeks to empower and uplift girls and young mothers addressing critical areas such as girl power, personal hygiene, education, skills acquisition, and protection from societal vices.
Mrs Ayeni further explained: “ENERI which has been running since October 2023 aims to provide a targeted number of LEA Government Primary Schools (commencing in Abuja) the support towards improving nutrition, exercise and reading for their students aged 4-12 years.
“We at CCDI believe that much work is needed if Nigeria is to progress and deliver on its promises on the Sustainable Development Goals, in particular Goals 2, 3, 4, (zero hunger, good health and wellbeing and quality education).
ENERI focuses on four main objectives: nutrition, executive, reading and a behavioural change programme.”
