The Federal Government has concluded plans to begin feeding programme for Almajiri Integrated Schools as part of President Goodluck Jonathan’s Transformation Agenda during his next tenure if he is eventually re-elected in the March 28 general elections.
This was communicated through the Minister of National Planning, Dr Abubakar Sulaiman, on Sunday, February 22, 2015 during a strategic stakeholders meeting on the milestone achievements on the Almajiri Integrated Schools programme organised by the National Planning Commission, NPC.
According to Vanguard, the meeting was aimed at assessing the key milestone achievements of the programme and also deliberate on the next steps to advance the programme in line with the Transformation Agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan.
The minister said, “In the next four years, going forward, the successor Transformation Agenda will introduce school feeding programme for the Almajiri Integrated Schools.”
The minister revealed that the major aim of the project was to reduce the rate at which the children in the Almajiri schools go hungry and at the same time achieve the vital parts of the Millennium Development Goals, MDGs.
He further explained that the programme was designed to strengthen the achievements of Universal Basic Education in addressing the gaps in basic education in disadvantaged states and at the same time involve the Almajiri Integrated System into the mainstream of the National Educational Policy.
He said, “Every pupil in the school is expected to be fed with a quality and adequate ration comprising of three square meals and snacks/fruits each school day and weekends. It is pertinent to note that incorporation of agricultural programme and vocational components should be given critical attention.”
