The Federal Government has been urged to reintroduce the home-grown school feeding system as a matter of urgency to boost child enrollment, particularly in rural areas.
The call was made by the Education Secretary of Katagum Local Government Education Authority, Adamu Alhaji Mohammed, while answering questions from journalists during a step-down training on safe schools in the area.
According to him, “Since the stoppage of the system, school enrollment in the LGA has dropped drastically to between 40 and 45 percent. The children have stopped going to school while new ones have refused to be enrolled.”
ALSO READ:Niger Delta Ministry, firm to hold trade expo
He added, “Before the system was stopped, we witnessed 90 percent enrollment and attendance in all schools as parents were eager to send their children to school just as the children were eager to go to school, knowing that they would be fed.”
The ES stressed the importance of motivation in achieving education for all because, according to him, “In this part of the world, people need to be motivated to go to school.”
Another area he wants the government to prioritize is the issue of conditional cash transfers, which he said will motivate parents to send their wards to school.
He opined that because most parents use their children to earn a living through hawking and other petty trading, conditional cash transfers will serve as an incentive for them.
Adamu Alhaji Mohammed assured that his office is doing everything possible to ensure that parents are sensitized on the need to send their children and wards to school for a better future and society.
and then