Out of school enrollment drop in Nigeria primary school level from 10.5 million to 8.6 million across the country last year, according to statistics released by sources in the education ministry.
This was a significant improvement considering growing poverty in the country and resistance to education in some part of the North. 
The increased in school enrollment at primary level coincides with the introduction of school feeding programme by the government in conjunction with some state governments.
Many parents who had hitherto failed to send their wards to school are reportedly having a change of mind and have decided to send their children to school because of the provision of a meal a day by the federal government in some schools across the country.
Many parents who had hitherto failed to send their wards to school are reportedly having a change of mind and have decided to send their children to school because of the provision of a meal a day by the federal government in some schools across the country.
It was equally learnt that in many cases, some parents are withdrawing their children from private school to public school to enable them benefit from the free school feeding programme.
Ordinarily, the increased or rather the decreased in the out of schools enrollment should have been a cheering news as it portends improvement in the quality of life expectancy and the desire of the country to fight poverty through education.
Ordinarily, the increased or rather the decreased in the out of schools enrollment should have been a cheering news as it portends improvement in the quality of life expectancy and the desire of the country to fight poverty through education.
However, the very scheme that seems to have spurred the increase in school enrollment in some part of the country is gradually losing steam and may end up like any other government programme due to huge corruption and lack of commitment on the part of state governments to ensure the success of the scheme.
Reports from many of the states that are currently executing the programme showed a very dismal performance in the implementation of the programme and the quality of the food being served the children by the vendors due to funding challenges.
Reports from many of the states that are currently executing the programme showed a very dismal performance in the implementation of the programme and the quality of the food being served the children by the vendors due to funding challenges.
Often time, the quality of the food was poor, inadequate and not sufficient to go round the supposedly pupils that they are meant for.
In some cases, the vendors employed by the government to supply food to the participating schools are being short-changed by the official of state education ministry in charge of disbursement, while those who are sent to supervise the process are not committed to carrying out their duty.
Recently, a video emerged on the social media on the poor nature of the food being served children participating in the free food scheme.
In some cases, the vendors employed by the government to supply food to the participating schools are being short-changed by the official of state education ministry in charge of disbursement, while those who are sent to supervise the process are not committed to carrying out their duty.
Recently, a video emerged on the social media on the poor nature of the food being served children participating in the free food scheme.
The government has debunked to claims by some vendors that the scheme is laden with huge corruption and manipulations by officials in charge.
During the run-up to the 2015 general election, president Buhari and his party, APC promised to introduce national free feeding programme for pupils in primary schools across the nation.
During the run-up to the 2015 general election, president Buhari and his party, APC promised to introduce national free feeding programme for pupils in primary schools across the nation.
The programme was meant to encourage more out of school pupils to enroll in school, promote hygiene and reduce pressure on parents who could not provide their children adequate feeding
before sending them to school.
By 2016, after some initial delay and hiccups, the government kick-started the programme, first in seven states, then increased gradually to 17 states at the end of last year. The figure released by the government showed that so far, the government had disbursed over 6.2 billion naira to support 17 states to implement the National Home Growing School Feeding Programme.
While the programme was a welcome initiative to boost nutrition among children at the primary level, encourage productivity by farmers who are expected to supply the food and provide jobs for
vendors, the programme has been described as poorly thought out and implemented by the government.
A former president Olusegun Obasanjo had in a recent interview said the federal government should not have involved itself in the programme. Although, he lauded the initiative and progressive so far
made by the government, but proffered that states governments are better positioned to manage such programme.
Reports from some of the 17 states where the programme is being executed have shown that many of the states are diverting the fund disbursed for the programme to other use, while some of the officials
saddled with the implementation and supervision of the programme are equally engrossed in corruption activity that have reduced the impact of the programme on the targeted pupils.
Initially, many parents were happy to allow their wars enroll in school to enable them benefit from the programme and reduce the burden of feeding on their meager income, however, as the programme faltered, many of the parents have started withdrawing their children from the schools.
Analysts are calling for the suspension of the programme by the federal government until adequate preparation and strategy are designed to ensure successful implementations of the programme.
While the initiative was considered laudable, the government has been advised to enlist some NGOs or civil society group in the implementation to ensure that fund disbursed for the programme are used for that purpose.
Aside from the corruption that have bedecked the programme, many of the states are not buoyant enough to provide the counterpart funding for the programme and as such the amount provided by the
federal government was insufficient to provide a balance and adequate feeding for the pupils.
The critical question to ask is that was the federal government well equipped to carry out such programme considering the state of education in the country? Both primary and secondary education
falls under the purview of the states and local governments, while the tertiary education is on the concurrent list.
before sending them to school.
By 2016, after some initial delay and hiccups, the government kick-started the programme, first in seven states, then increased gradually to 17 states at the end of last year. The figure released by the government showed that so far, the government had disbursed over 6.2 billion naira to support 17 states to implement the National Home Growing School Feeding Programme.
While the programme was a welcome initiative to boost nutrition among children at the primary level, encourage productivity by farmers who are expected to supply the food and provide jobs for
vendors, the programme has been described as poorly thought out and implemented by the government.
A former president Olusegun Obasanjo had in a recent interview said the federal government should not have involved itself in the programme. Although, he lauded the initiative and progressive so far
made by the government, but proffered that states governments are better positioned to manage such programme.
Reports from some of the 17 states where the programme is being executed have shown that many of the states are diverting the fund disbursed for the programme to other use, while some of the officials
saddled with the implementation and supervision of the programme are equally engrossed in corruption activity that have reduced the impact of the programme on the targeted pupils.
Initially, many parents were happy to allow their wars enroll in school to enable them benefit from the programme and reduce the burden of feeding on their meager income, however, as the programme faltered, many of the parents have started withdrawing their children from the schools.
Analysts are calling for the suspension of the programme by the federal government until adequate preparation and strategy are designed to ensure successful implementations of the programme.
While the initiative was considered laudable, the government has been advised to enlist some NGOs or civil society group in the implementation to ensure that fund disbursed for the programme are used for that purpose.
Aside from the corruption that have bedecked the programme, many of the states are not buoyant enough to provide the counterpart funding for the programme and as such the amount provided by the
federal government was insufficient to provide a balance and adequate feeding for the pupils.
The critical question to ask is that was the federal government well equipped to carry out such programme considering the state of education in the country? Both primary and secondary education
falls under the purview of the states and local governments, while the tertiary education is on the concurrent list.
There are suggestions that the federal government should focus on providing adequate infrastructure to make learning conducive across the country rather than striving to provide free feeding to pupils who may never get the food at the end of the day.
Government is also advised to devise other measure to reduce poverty in the country by providing incentives for job creation to empower parents to take care of the feeding needs of their children
rather than a feeding scheme marred by corruption embedded in the government system.
Many of the schools where the programme is been implemented lack basic facilities for a conducive learning process while many of the pupils targeted in the feeding lack books, uniform and even the
school lack enough teachers to teach.
Government is also advised to devise other measure to reduce poverty in the country by providing incentives for job creation to empower parents to take care of the feeding needs of their children
rather than a feeding scheme marred by corruption embedded in the government system.
Many of the schools where the programme is been implemented lack basic facilities for a conducive learning process while many of the pupils targeted in the feeding lack books, uniform and even the
school lack enough teachers to teach.
These are major issues that needed to be tackled first if the government is serious about encouraging increase enrollment of out of school children.
Also, many of the school across the states lack basic infrastructures such as classroom, teaching aids and quality textbooks.
Most of the children who are out of school are mainly the children of the poor and government should focus more on alleviating poverty in the country to reduce its negative impact on children of school age.
Many of the children have to trek long distance to enable them to attend school because the government could not provide school within the some areas remain a big challenge to boost enrollment in school.
Also, many of the school across the states lack basic infrastructures such as classroom, teaching aids and quality textbooks.
Most of the children who are out of school are mainly the children of the poor and government should focus more on alleviating poverty in the country to reduce its negative impact on children of school age.
Many of the children have to trek long distance to enable them to attend school because the government could not provide school within the some areas remain a big challenge to boost enrollment in school.
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