40% of Kaduna pupils attend school because of free meals, says gov’s aide

Kaduna State's free school feeding program is credited with drawing about 40% of pupils to public schools, according to Fauziya Buhari-Ado, Senior Special Assistant to Governor Uba Sani on the School Feeding Programme. She highlighted the initiative as a crucial strategy for reducing the number of out-of-school children, particularly those in the Almajiri system.

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About 40 per cent of the children attending school are there because of the food.

Buhari-Ado stated that the administration recognized the need for urgent reforms, including free education and school feeding, to address the challenges of out-of-school children. Governor Sani's administration has prioritized the welfare of children, implementing reforms to ensure vulnerable children, especially Almajiri pupils, are in school. The government acknowledged the impact of insecurity in northern Nigeria, which exacerbates the problem of children roaming the streets.

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Since we came into government, we understood that there were challenges, and we knew that urgent reforms were necessary. We implemented those necessary reforms under the guidance of His Excellency, Senator Uba Sani, who has truly put the children of Kaduna State at the heart of his administration.

Monitoring visits to schools have revealed the program's significant impact. Principals and parents have reported that the free meals are a primary reason many children attend school. Buhari-Ado personally witnessed the program's effectiveness, hearing directly from children and parents about its importance. She emphasized that Governor Sani's leadership has been instrumental in the program's success, leading to improved attendance, reduced absenteeism, and better overall welfare for children across the state.

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Even with the issue of insecurity, we knew that if we did not protect the children of Kaduna State and allowed them to roam the streets, especially considering that the Almajiri phenomenon and other vulnerable children are more prevalent in northern Nigeria, the situation would worsen.

The administration has also invested in education infrastructure, social protection, and human capital development, further supporting the goal of increasing school enrollment and retention. The program's success underscores the government's commitment to educational reforms and ensuring that all children have access to schooling.

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He took the necessary steps to ensure that those children go to school because free school feeding and free education are critical to keeping them in school.