COVID-19: FG To Start Feeding School Children At Home – Minister Reveals

The Federal Government of Nigeria has disclosed its intention to reach out to homes of school children with the ‘School Feeding Programme’ amid the pandemic.

The development was revealed on Wednesday, May 6 in a statement by the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar-Farouq, who noted that the state governments will work with the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to continue in feeding schoolchildren in their homes.

Naija News understands that the minister disclosed this while speaking at the Presidential Task Force for COVID-19 briefing on Wednesday.

“The school feeding programme has been tailored in a way, to ensure that schoolchildren were fed at home despite the lockdown,” Sadiya noted.

She said, “We have made progress in the overhauling of the homegrown school feeding programme and sensitisation has already begun in the three frontline states of Ogun, Lagos and the Federal Capital Territory for implementation.

“The overhauling was sequel to a March 29, 2020 directive by Mr. President to identify modalities and continuation of the school feeding programme during the COVID-19 pandemic in the lockdown states as of then,”

Sadiya while speaking, categorically stated that the distribution will be based on “data provided and structures put in place by participating states with support from partners that include the World Food Programme.”

“The food would be distributed from door to door, as vouchers would be allocated at specific collection times to avoid overcrowding,” the minister reiterated.

Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari‘s spokesperson, Femi Adesina, a week ago has said that Candidates about to take West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and other examinations may be allowed to go back to school.