Tinubu Revives School Feeding: Reintroduces Program Nixed by Buhari

President Bola Tinubu has granted approval for the revival and implementation of school feeding programs across basic educational levels as a strategic move to address the challenges faced by out-of-school children. This decision marks a significant shift as the initiative is reinstated several years after the discontinuation during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.

The announcement was made by the Minister of Education, Professor Tahir Mamman, during a One-Day Retreat on Quick Wins in the Ministerial Deliverables (2023-2027) held on Thursday, December 21, 2023, in Abuja.

Professor Mamman highlighted that President Tinubu has directed the reinstatement of the school feeding program, emphasizing its role in addressing the learning crisis prevalent in the education sector. The move aims to utilize the program as a mechanism to counter the issues faced by out-of-school children and promote a more inclusive and accessible education system.

Meanwhile, Minister Mamman expressed the Federal Government’s unwavering commitment to returning 15 million out-of-school children to classrooms by the year 2027. Recognizing the learning crisis as a critical challenge stemming from the out-of-school menace, Mamman emphasized the need for tangible action beyond policy formulation. He stressed that effective implementation of robust policies is essential to addressing the complexities associated with out-of-school children.

“The Federal Ministry of Education has further distilled the implementation of the Ministerial deliverables to a more detailed implementation with turn-around strategies that would be measurable and capable of providing results that would be very visible to the Nigerian public,” Mamman asserted.

In alignment with President Tinubu’s commitment, Mamman stated, “On the out-of-school menace, we would be paying particular attention to this unacceptable phenomenon and would work towards returning 15 million out-of-school children back to the classrooms by the year 2027.’’

Elaborating on the challenges, Minister Mamman underscored that the removal of tertiary institutions from the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) was a necessary step to grant these institutions autonomy in their operations. He emphasized that the ministry would collaborate with the Minister of Finance/Coordinating Minister of the Economy and the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation to ensure a seamless and effective implementation of this autonomy.

Mamman addressed the issues surrounding the delivery of academic activities in tertiary institutions, expressing concerns about the impact of unresolved agreements on the education sector. Under the guidance of President Bola Tinubu, informal consultations were initiated with the unions representing tertiary institutions. As a testament to the progress made, Mamman highlighted resolutions such as a 35% increase in salaries for workers in tertiary institutions and the provision of four months’ payment for the eight months they were on strike in 2022. Additionally, steps were taken to remove tertiary institutions from IPPIS and grant autonomy for recruitment.

“No Nigerian would be happy with the epileptic delivery of academic activities in our tertiary institutions occasioned by long-unresolved agreements,” Mamman affirmed.

It’s worth noting that the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme, a government-led initiative, aims to enhance the health and educational outcomes of public primary school pupils. By utilizing locally grown farm produce, the program provides nutritious mid-day meals to children on every school day, intending to improve primary school enrollment and reduce dropout rates.

Previously managed by the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, the school feeding program faced controversies and corruption allegations in its implementation. With the reinstatement of the initiative under President Tinubu’s direction, there is a renewed focus on addressing the challenges associated with out-of-school children and fostering a more robust and inclusive education system in Nigeria.