By Ibrahim Hassan-Wuyo

The Kaduna State Government has lauded President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration for its continued interest in the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme for primary schools (NHGSFP) and promised to support the ongoing value for money-( (VFM) research project.

The Deputy Governor of the State, Dr. Hadiza Sabuwa Balarabe disclosed this during a Town Hall meeting on the Value for Money (VFM) research study held in Kaduna.

The Deputy Governor who was represented by the state Commissioner of Education, Prof. Muhammad Sani Bello (Mainan Zazzau) said the administration of Governor Sani since coming on board has keyed into the program which provides free daily meals to pupils in primary 1-6 in the state’s 4,225 primary schools.

He assured that the State government will support the Value for Money Research Project embarked upon by the Federal government to determine the effectiveness and efficiency of the program in delivering nutritious meals to school children in Kaduna State.

In her remark, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on School Feeding, Dr. Yetunde Adeniji explained that the value for money (VFM) project is aimed at achieving the objective of delivering nutritious meals to primary school children across the country.

Adeniji disclosed that the study is being conducted in partnership with Imperial College, London, United Kingdom, Harvard University, United States of America, and the Partnership for Child Development.

Stating that the VFM will help determine the effectiveness and efficiency of the program in delivering nutritious meals to schoolchildren across the country, she explained that the study would be carried out in selected states in the country.

She said the parameters for each state selection would be done in line with global best practices.

She said the objective of the study which would be forensically analyzed by local and foreign experts led by the renowned Professor Lesley Drake include: The effectiveness and impact of school feeding programs improving student attendance and academic performance, cost-effectiveness analysis of school feeding programs in Nigeria thus far, comparing the benefits of investing in school feeding versus other education interventions.

“It also entails the evaluation of the nutritional impact of school feeding programs on Nigerian students’ health and well-being, assessment of the sustainability of school feeding programs in Nigeria, including the long-term impact on student’s educational outcomes and nutritional status and exploration of innovative funding mechanisms for school feeding programs in Nigeria, such as public-private partnerships or social impact bonds.”

“Furthermore, the research would focus on the potential for scaling up school feeding programs to reach more Nigerian students in need, while maintaining quality and value for money research on the role of school feeding programs in addressing broader development goals, such as poverty reduction, gender equality, and social inclusion, analysis of the policy environment for school feeding programs.”

“it also includes the role and support of government regulations in implementing and monitoring program effectiveness, examination of the impact of external factors such as climate change, political instability, on the effectiveness of the value for money of school feeding programs and engagement with local communities and stakeholders to ensure that school feeding programs are responsive to their needs and preferences and are culturally appropriate and sustainable in the long term, amongst others.”

In his welcome address, the State Coordinator, Kaduna Social Investment Program Agency (KADSIPA,) Mal. Umar Mukhtar said, “I am proud to say that Kaduna State, ahead of other states, proactively unified all the National Social Investment Programmes (NSIPs) under one umbrella in 2019, creating the Kaduna Social Investment Office(KADSIO.)”

Similarly, the Coordinator of, the Kaduna State School Feeding Program and Senior Special Assistant to the Governor of Kaduna State on Social Investment Programmes, Silvia Larai Ishaku said that the initiation of the Value for Money (VFM) research study in Kaduna and other states in Nigeria marked a significant step towards evaluating and enhancing the impact of the National Home-Grown School Feeding Program.

“We commend the federal government for this research initiative and appreciate the value it will bring to the program. Special thanks to Imperial College London, Harvard University, and all stakeholders providing technical support for their contributions.”

“We are grateful for selecting Kaduna for this study, as Governor Uba Sani is deeply committed to providing quality education and building the human capital of our children for a better future.”

“Providing adequate nutrition is crucial in addressing out-of-school children maladies, addressing malnutrition, and ensuring healthy growth of our pupil. That is why his administration has prioritized this matter.”

“The Kaduna State Government, through the Office of the Kaduna Social Investment Programme, is fully dedicated to supporting this study and all social interventions by the federal government aimed at enhancing the welfare of citizens, especially vulnerable groups.”

Speaking on behalf of the Civil Society Organisations, the Chair Person of the Kaduna State Social Protection Accountability Coalition (KADSPAC,) Jessica Bartholomew commended the Federal and State government over the Home Grown School Feeding Program and the VFM Project.

She however said that more needed to be done to ensure that more citizens benefit from the noble school feeding program.