Bayelsa State Government in South-South Nigeria has announced plans to join the Home Grown School Feeding Programme, next academic term.
The State Commissioner for Education, Mr. Gentle Emelah disclosed this during a meeting with a delegation from the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development as well as the NSIP State Focal Person.
Mr Emelah said that the state was working towards fulfilling the requirements and joining the School Feeding Programme, next term.
“We have been working on the modalities of accomplishing all requirements since your first visit and we hope that by the beginning of the next school term, the pupils will be on boarded unto the programme. We understand the importance of the programme and advantages to the State and we are working hard to join the feeding programme”. Emelah said
The delegation said it was in the State to conduct a second technical assessment visit to ensure that the State Government buys into the School Feeding Programme.
Led by the Technical Assistant to the Minister on the Programme, Zainab Abubakar, the delegation recalled that the first official visit in 2021 was to provide technical support and guidance to the State on the implementation requirements of the National Home Grown School Feeding Programme.
“We are here to carry out an additional technical assessment of Bayelsa State’s readiness based on the observations and recommendations of the first assessment. This second visit is to ascertain the compliance level of the state on the requirements.
“We want to ensure the buy-in of the Bayelsa State Government for the on boarding unto the National Home Grown School Feeding Programme and to provide technical support and guide towards ensuring a successful commencement and implementation of the feeding programme”.
Another meeting was also held with the first lady of Bayelsa State Dr. Mrs Gloria Diri who assured the team of her commitment to ensuring that the State fulfills all requirements and keys into the laudable program.
More than 9 million pupils are currently benefiting from the programme across the Federation.
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