30,000 Lagos primary pupils to benefit from school feeding initiative

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No fewer than 30,000 pupils in public primary schools across Lagos State are set to receive daily nutritional support under a new intervention aimed at reducing classroom hunger and improving learning outcomes.

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The initiative, tagged “Adopt A School for Snacks for Thought – PBAT FEEDS!,” was unveiled on Wednesday by the Lagos State Government in partnership with the Renewed Hope National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme.

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The programme, which was launched at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre, Alausa, Ikeja, will begin with a pilot phase scheduled for June 30 to July 2, during which selected pupils will receive nutritious snacks and beverages every school day.

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The launch also featured the unveiling of a digital dashboard designed to improve transparency, accountability and stakeholder participation in the implementation of the school nutrition initiative.

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Speaking at the event, the National Programme Manager of the Renewed Hope National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme, Aderemi Adebowale, said the intervention was introduced to address the impact of hunger on pupils’ ability to learn effectively.

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She said many children attend school, willing to learn, but are unable to maximise their potential due to inadequate nutrition.

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“A hungry child struggles to learn, and a child who struggles to learn is less likely to reach his or her full potential,” Adebowale said.

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She explained that research had shown that poor nutrition affects pupils’ concentration, memory retention, cognitive development, classroom participation, attendance and overall academic performance.

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According to her, the programme aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and the Federal Government’s human capital development objectives by ensuring that hunger does not become a barrier to education.

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“Our vision is to build a Nigeria where no child is prevented from learning because of hunger. Nutrition is not merely a welfare intervention; it is an investment in human capital development and national productivity,” she said.

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Adebowale added that the initiative was designed to encourage wider participation from corporate organisations, philanthropists, development partners, alumni groups, faith-based organisations, professional bodies, communities, state and local governments through a school adoption model.

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Under the scheme, individuals and organisations can support pupils by adopting a classroom, grade level, school, multiple schools, local government area, senatorial district or an entire state.

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She said the digital dashboard would allow sponsors to identify schools, access enrolment information, complete sponsorship commitments and monitor implementation in real time.

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“This dashboard is a game-changer. It moves school support from a traditional donation model to a measurable impact model,” Adebowale said.

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She added that the platform would provide information on beneficiary schools, sponsorship status, geographical distribution of support, and the number of pupils reached, while incorporating monitoring tools such as attendance tracking, distribution verification and field validation.

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The Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Systems, Abisola Olusanya, urged stakeholders to support local farmers who would provide food supplies for the initiative, noting that the programme would also strengthen the state’s agricultural value chain.

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She said the intervention would contribute to improving child nutrition while creating economic opportunities for local producers.

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The Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Tolani Ali-Balogun, described the programme as an important step towards addressing learning poverty and improving academic performance among pupils.

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He stressed that access to nutritious meals was essential to creating an environment where children could learn effectively.

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The Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, said the initiative represented an investment in the future of Nigerian children, adding that improved nutrition would support school attendance and contribute to efforts to reduce the number of out-of-school children.

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He called on private sector organisations, development partners and individuals to support the programme to ensure its sustainability.

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The Lagos State Government said the initiative would complement ongoing efforts to strengthen education outcomes and promote human capital development through improved access to nutrition at the primary school level.

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