The federal government is preparing to relaunch the Home-Grown School Feeding Programme, a key initiative designed to provide meals to students and boost school attendance. This decision follows a campaign by the House of Representatives, which had been advocating for the resumption of the school feeding scheme.
The announcement was made by Wale Edun, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, during a meeting with the House of Representatives Committee on Alternative Education on August 22, 2024. The meeting addressed the ongoing challenge of out-of-school children in Nigeria.
In a statement by Mohammed Manga, Director of Information and Public Relations at the Ministry of Finance, Edun emphasized the government’s commitment to enhancing educational access through innovative programs like the Home-Grown School Feeding Programme and the Secretariat for Financing Safe Schools.
Edun stated, “The federal government is dedicated to addressing critical issues through initiatives such as the Home-Grown School Feeding Program. We believe that feeding children at school will improve their health and well-being, incentivize school attendance, and help reduce the number of out-of-school children.”
The relaunch of the programme aims to positively impact the national budget by allocating sufficient resources to support and sustain educational programs. This follows President Bola Tinubu’s suspension of the programme in January, which was part of a broader investigation into alleged irregularities within the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA). The suspension also affected other social investment initiatives, including N-Power and the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT).
Despite the suspension, the House of Representatives had pressed for the resumption of these programs, arguing that their cancellation could have adverse effects, especially on the education sector.
Edun’s announcement reflects a renewed commitment by the federal government to reinforce educational infrastructure and ensure that future generations benefit from enhanced learning opportunities, paving the way for a more prosperous Nigeria.