Date: 2020-01-29

The Kwara Government has expressed its readiness to ensure that nutritious and hygienic meals are prepared for pupils when its Home Grown School Feeding Programme is unveiled.

The Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development, Mrs Fatimah Ahmed, gave the assurance on Tuesday in a statement issued by the Press Secretary in the ministry, Yakub Aliagan.

The statement quoted Ahmed as giving the assurance in Ilorin during the validation of Kwara State Policy on Food and Nutrition and Multi Sectoral Plan of Actions organised by the Ministry of Finance and Planning with the support of Civil Society Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN).

The statement said in part: "The implementation of food and nutrition by the present administration will ensure proper administration of Home Grown School Feeding Programme that will soon be unveiled across the three senatorial districts in the state.

"Proper nutrition of children will eradicate the menace of chronic malnutrition that has greatly hampered the growth and performance of vulnerable children.

"Effective nutrition of pupils in schools will give them the needed opportunity to consume healthy food.

"It will also afford them opportunity to have a variety of foods that will give them the needed nutrients they need to maintain their health, feel good and have energy.

"In view of this, the present administration will not relent in its efforts at making sure that absolute monitoring and supervision of vendors in schools are adhered to.

"This is to ensure that nutritious and hygienic meals are given to pupils in order to enhance their learning and performance."

The commissioner, who commended the initiator of the programme, however, called for increased awareness on the need to embrace healthy eating.

She expressed her ministry's readiness to partner with the organisation to enhance the effectiveness of the Home Grown School Feeding Programme that would soon be launched.