The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar-Farouq, announced on Wednesday, the resumption of the feeding of school children, by the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government, in partnership with States.
Speaking at the Presidential Task Force briefing on Covid-19, in Abuja, Umar-Farouq said that the government has overhauled the school feeding programme in a way to ensure that school children are fed at home, despite the lockdown.
Her words: “We have made progress in the overhauling of the homegrown school feeding programme, and sensitisation has already begun in the three frontline States of Ogun, Lagos, and the Federal Capital Territory, for implementation.
“The overhauling was sequel to a March 29, 2020, directive by Mr. President, to identify modalities and continuation of the school feeding programme during the Covid-19 pandemic in the lockdown States as of then.
“The plan has been adopted, with implementation now set to begin. The programme will therefore be carried out based on data provided, and structures put in place by participating States, with support from partners, that include the World Food Programme.”
The Minister explained that the food would be distributed door-to-door, as vouchers would be allocated at specific collection times, to avoid overcrowding.
She explained that the vouchers would be redeemed at designated distribution sites.