The Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board, LASUBEB, is set to kick-start the distribution of food palliatives to pupils in primary schools in the state.
The Chairman of LASUBEB, Hon. Wahab Alawiye-King, made the disclosure on Thursday, during his visit to the warehouse where the food palliatives were kept in Ikeja.
Hon. Alawiye-king disclosed that the food palliative measure is part of the presidential directive that the Home Grown School Feeding Programme must continue in spite of closure of schools.
The LASUBEB boss noted that government agencies have been working relentlessly for the past weeks to ensure that the directive is carried out, hence the reason for the monitoring of the exercise.
The Home Grown School Feeding Programme, is coordinated by the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, in collaboration with the Lagos State government through the LASUBEB and all stakeholders in the basic education sub sector.
Alawiye-King allayed the fears that the programme might be sabotaged, adding that the beneficiaries have been identified and verified.
He said, “We need to understand that the school feeding programme has been running before now, it is targeted at primary 1-3 pupils in public primary schools. We have gone around using our school vendors and school management board based on available data to identify and verify the households that will benefit from the programme.”
LASUBEB Board member, Hon. Serifat Adedoyin, Executive Chairman, LASUBEB, Hon. Wahab Alawiye King, LASUBEB Board members, Hon. Sijuade Idowu Tiamiyu and Dr. Saheed Ibikunle, Special Adviser to the President on NHGSFP, Mrs Titilola Adeyemi-Doro.
He also stated that transparency will be strictly adhered to, as international and local organisations are part of the monitoring group to ensure that the food palliatives get to the right households.
Alawiye-King revealed that over 37,589 households are being targeted for the pilot scheme, with 202 centers already designated for the distributions.
The food items to be distributed according to Hon. Alawiye-King are 5kg bag of rice and beans each, two rolls of sachet tomato paste, 500ml of palm and groundnut oil, salt and obe dozen of eggs.
The Special Adviser to the President on National Home Grown School Feeding NHGSF, Mrs. Titilola Adeyemi-Doro noted that the Federal Government is basically coordinating the process, while the state government is to take ownership of the program because they know how best to reach the students.
She also added that the collaboration is with all stakeholders in the education sector, with LASUBEB taking the lead.
LASUBEB Secretary, Mrs Folusho Ajimoti, said that the board has been going through series of meetings to ensure efficient distribution of the food palliative.
She added that vouchers will be distributed to the various households that has been identified for efficient distribution; while emphasising that LASUBEB members, alongside Education Secretaries of each local government, as well as food vendors will form part of the distribution team with relevant stakeholders serving as monitoring team.
