The Federal Government has said that the plans are underway to conduct head counts of Almajiris in the country and enroll them into its homegrown school feeding programme.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Schools Feeding, Dr. Yetunde Adeniji, revealed this during a courtesy call on the Executive Governor of Nasarawa State, Abdullahi Sule in Lafia on Friday.
A statement by the Special Assistant To Dr. Adeniji, Mr. Oyedokun Oyewumi, indicated that the program targets children in public schools, saying that her office is open to suggestions.
She said that her interactions with relevant authorities demonstrates President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to improving the welfare and educational opportunities for children through the school feeding program, with a focus on incorporating marginalized groups, such as the Almajiris.
Speaking during the visit, Governor Abdullahi Sule, called on the Federal government to make it a priority to include Almajiris in the home-grown school feeding plan.
He recognized the efforts of the Senior Special Assistant to bring about reforms that would ensure the success of the schools feeding program.
Governor Sule appealed to the Dr. Adeniji to provide an improved livelihood for the Almajiris, adding that this will eradicate child destitution and remove beggars from the streets.
“the incorporation of the Almajiri, a group of traditionally itinerant Islamic students, into the program would help in taking them off the streets and provide them with proper nutrition and education”.
The Governor assured Adeniji of Nasarawa State Government’s support in achieving the objectives of the program.
“We call on the Office of the SSA to, in collaboration with Northern States, relevant institutions, conduct a census of Almajiri schools and headcount of the destitute children with the view to enrolling them in the ongoing National Home-grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP),” he said.
Earlier in the week, the Executive Governor of Kaduna State, Uba Sani commended the Senior Special Assistant on her proactive methods in getting familiar with institutions and states that will add to the success of the programme.
He equally said that the Kaduna state government would partner with the SSA’s office to ensure success of the programme when it begins, with a view to improve the nutrition value of the children.
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