The Federal Government says no fewer than 876,000 primary pupils of public schools in the state will benefit from its free feeding programme in Katsina State.
Launching the programme on Tuesday in Katsina Gov. Aminu Masari said the programme had multiplier effects as it would create jobs to about 10,000 women.
According to him, apart from feeding the school children, it would also assist to boost agricultural production by buying farm produce directly from farmers.
He said that the free feeding would assist to enhance school children enrollment, retention and academic performance.
The governor said that the programme was important particularly ”as the primary education is fundamental because it is the foundation of the education sector’’.
Masari warned the food vendors engaged in the services to discharge their responsibilities, adding that the government would not hesitate to sanction defaulters.
Earlier, the Special Adviser to Gov. Masari on Girl-Child Education, Hajiya Binta Umar, stressed the need for proper hygiene as well as ensuring the quality and quantity of food to be served to the pupils.
She said that the government had put in place an inspection team to supervise, monitor and report back inorder to ensure effective running of the programme.
