Osun spends N3.6bn to feed pupils yearly – Laoye-Tomori

THE Deputy Governor of Osun State, Mrs. Titi Laoye-Tomori, says the current administration in the state is spending N3.6bn annually to feed pupils in public primary schools in the state.

The deputy governor said this in Osogbo on Wednesday at the 11th quarterly meeting of the Universal Basic Education Commission with executive chairmen of the State Universal Basic Education Boards.

Laoye-Tomori described the N98m the Federal Government was giving to states to feed pupils as grossly inadequate while urging it to increase the fund.

She urged states in the federation to embrace home-grown school feeding programme which she explained was rebranded O’ Meal in the state.

She said, “Basic education should not be handled with levity going by pivotal role it plays in the life of every individual. It is the first level of exposure available to children outside their parental homes.

“The view to  catch them young can only become a reality if primary education gets its rightful place.

“The Federal Government should, through UBEC, assist states by increasing fund for the meal from N98m  available to states for it. The meals cost government of the State of Osun N3.6bn annually.

“O-Meal has taken public primary school enrolment in the state from 155,318 in May 2012 to over 380,000 pupils this 2014.”

She stated that it was pertinent to actively review  programmes of the commission and implement those programmes to the letter if the programme was to be sustained.

The Executive Secretary of UBEC, Alhaji Dikko Suleiman, lauded the recruitment of 8,000 students under Osun Calisthenics Programme and the school feeding programme.

Suleiman stated that every hand must be on deck to find solutions to the numerous problems facing basic education in the country.

The Minister of Education, Mr. Nyesom  Wike, advised  members of SUBEB in each state of the federation to join hands with UBEC to turn things around.

The minister pleaded with state governors to assess and utilise funds available at UBEC for primary school development by promptly paying their counterpart funds.

He also tasked participants at the meeting to fashion out better ways to reconstruct all dilapidated structures at primary schools across the country.

The Executive Chairman of SUBEB, Osun State, Mr.  Felix Awofisayo, said the  achievements  of the  state  in the education sector  include recruitment of teachers, increase and prompt payment of running grants, prompt payment of teachers’ salary,and  construction of well-equipped schools.