The Federal Government has stated that plans are in the works to perform head counts of Almajiris in the country and enroll them in the current administration’s domestic school feeding program.
Dr. Yetunde Adeniji, Senior Special Assistant to the President on School Feeding, disclosed this during a courtesy call on Nasarawa State Executive Governor Abdullahi A. Sule in Lafia.
According to Mr. Oyedokun Oyewumi, Special Assistant to the SSA, the program is aimed at youngsters in public schools, and her office is open to recommendations.
She stated that her discussions with appropriate authorities demonstrate President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s dedication to improving children’s welfare and educational possibilities through the school food program, with a focus on including marginalized communities like the Almajiris.
During the visit, Governor Sule urged the federal government to make Almajiris a priority in the home-grown school nutrition plan.
He commended the Senior Special Assistant’s efforts to implement modifications that would assure the success of the school feeding program.
Governor Sule urged the SSA to improve the almajiris’ living conditions, claiming that doing so would end child poverty and eliminate beggars from the streets.
Governor Sule said, “the incorporation of the Almajiri, a group of traditionally itinerant Islamic students, into the programme would help in taking them off the streets and provide them with proper nutrition and education”.
The Governor assured Dr Adeniji of Nasarawa State Government’s support in achieving the objectives of the programme.
“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.
