Education

FG targets 20m pupils in school feeding programme by 2026

Published

5 months ago

August 22, 2025

The Federal Government has set a target of reaching 20 million children through the Homegrown School Feeding Programme by 2026, describing it as both an educational investment and a national security strategy.

Vice President Kashim Shettima, announced this on Friday at the National Policy Forum on the Institutionalisation and Implementation of the Renewed Hope National Home Grown School Feeding Programme, held in Abuja.

The forum was hosted by the Presidential Committee on Economic and Financial Inclusion, in collaboration with ActionAid Nigeria and other stakeholders.

Represented by the Special Adviser to the President on Economic Affairs, Office of the Vice President, Dr. Kolade Fasua, Shettima said the expansion under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, was the boldest yet in the history of the intervention.

He explained that the programme, relaunched earlier this year, is designed to improve school enrollment and learning outcomes while creating a guaranteed daily market for smallholder farmers, women entrepreneurs, and local processors.

“This year, the federal government relaunched the Renewed Hope National Homegrown School Feeding Programme, signalling a decisive return to scale and systemisation. The programme is designed to boost enrollment and attendance, improve academic performance, and raise smallholder incomes through stable local procurement.

“Alongside the core programme, the government has inaugurated the Alternate Education and Renewed Hope School Feeding Project, an expansion that targets out-of-school and highly vulnerable children, with the ambition of reaching up to 20 million by 2026”, he said.

With the integration of the National Identity Management Commission system, Shettima added, transparency would be assured so that “real pupils receive real meals, and every naira spent works twice—once for the child, and once for the local economy.”

While acknowledging that sustaining nationwide coverage could cost as much as one trillion naira, the Vice President argued that the initiative should not be seen as a drain on public finances but as a nation-building investment.

“Ambition requires investment, and the federal government has acknowledged that sustaining national coverage may require around one trillion naira.

“But this is not a cost. It is a nation-building investment with high social, economic, and security return. This is why the school feeding must be understood not just as a social intervention but as a national security investment”, he stressed.

According to him, every hot meal served in a classroom also acts as a barrier against recruitment into violent groups, a reinforcement of the state’s presence, and a source of hope in conflict-prone communities.

“A child with knowledge is less vulnerable to exploitation. A farmer linked to a market is less vulnerable to despair. Communities where youth are engaged are less vulnerable to insecurity

“By bringing MSMEs, women, and vulnerable households into the financial system, we shrink the shadows in which insecurity grows. When local markets thrive, when farmers see guarantees in demand, when cooks receive fair and timely pay, and when women micro-entrepreneurs build assets, the drivers of conflict weaken,” Shettima said.

He urged development partners, private investors, and state governments to align with the federal government’s vision, saying the success of the scheme would be measured not just in hunger-free classrooms but also in safer, more resilient communities.

In his keynote address, the Minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr Tanko Sununu, represented by Director, Social Development, Mr. Valebtine Ezulu, called for a National Home Grown School Feeding Act that will provide legal backing for the programme.

He further recommended the development of a nutrition guideline, in line with global best practices, to ensure safe and healthy feeding for the children.

“We must work towards enacting a National Home Grown School Feeding Act that guarantees continuity across political cycles, while clearly defining federal, state, and local roles within a cost-sharing framework.

“A National Nutrition Guideline for Home Grown School Meals, aligned with international best practices, must be developed and enforced to guarantee safe, balanced, and quality meals for every child”, Ezulu said.

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Education

UUTH resident doctors join nationwide strike

Published

3 days ago

January 9, 2026

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The Association of Resident Doctors, University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, has resolved to join the nationwide strike declared by the National Association of Resident Doctors on Monday, January 12, 2026.

The decision was contained in a communiqué issued after an emergency general meeting of the association held in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, on Thursday.

The communiqué, endorsed by its President, Dr Ekomobong Udoh, and General Secretary, Dr Kenneth Ikott, and made available to our correspondent in Uyo on Friday, said the centre would undertake a peaceful protest by 9am on Monday within the UUTH premises, in total compliance with the directive of NARD.

It read in part, “Members of the congress gathered for an emergency general meeting to discuss the resolutions issued by the NARD Extra-Ordinary NEC virtual meeting held on Saturday, January 2, 2026. After thorough deliberation and discussion on the resolutions of NARD, the meeting, chaired by the President, resolved as follows.

“The centre fully supports the implementation of the NARD NEC meeting resolutions. The congress immediately agreed to participate in the NARD TIC 2.0 from 12 noon on Monday, in line with the NEC directive, and will undertake a peaceful protest by 9am on Monday within the UUTH premises.”

Udoh said the proposed industrial action followed the failure of the Federal Government to fully implement the Memorandum of Understanding signed with resident doctors in November 2025.

According to him, the strike, tagged TICS (Total, Indefinite and Comprehensive Strike) 2.0, with the slogan, “No Implementation, No Going Back”, would only be suspended after the full implementation of the minimum demands.

He listed the demands to include the reinstatement of the FTH Lokoja Five, payment of promotion and salary arrears, full implementation of the professional allowance table with arrears captured in the 2026 budget, and official clarification on skipping and entry-level issues by the Federal Ministry of Health and circulars to chief executives.

Other demands include the reintroduction and implementation of the Specialist Allowance, resolution of house officers’ salary delays and arrears, including the issuance of a pay advisory, recategorisation of membership certificates, and issuance of certificates after Part I by the NPMCN, commencement of locum and work-hours regulation committees, and resumption and timely conclusion of the Collective Bargaining Agreement process.

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Education

Nigeria emerges fifth-best English-speaking country in Africa

Published

6 days ago

January 6, 2026

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Nigeria has emerged as the fifth-best English-speaking country in Africa, according to the 2025 Education First English Proficiency Index cited by PUNCH Online on EF’s website on Monday.

The report, compiled by global education leader EF, assessed English skills across 123 countries and regions, using data from 2.2 million test takers. This year’s edition also included, for the first time, speaking and writing skills, measured using artificial intelligence technology developed by EF’s education technology arm.

English, Nigeria’s official language, remains central to education, governance, media, and business, helping the country maintain strong proficiency levels. On the African continent, Nigeria trails South Africa, Zimbabwe, Kenya, and Zambia, which lead in English proficiency. The rankings underscore the growing importance of English as a bridge for international communication, education, and commerce.

Top 10 English-Speaking Countries in Africa (EF EPI 2025):

South Africa – Widespread use in government, education, media, and business.

Zimbabwe – English is the primary language of instruction and administration.

Kenya – Official language alongside Swahili, widely used in urban and professional settings.

Nigeria – Official language, central to national communication and commerce.

Ghana – English is used from basic to tertiary education and in public administration.

Uganda – Official language; key role in trade, diplomacy, and professional environments.

Ethiopia – Widely used in education and international affairs, though not official.

Tunisia – Growing adoption among youth and professionals in education, tech, and tourism.

Morocco – Increasing popularity in schools and business for global trade and relations.

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Education

Bandit attacks: Kebbi, Kwara reopen schools

Published

7 days ago

January 5, 2026

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Kebbi and Kwara state governments have announced the reopening of schools in selected areas, signaling a gradual return to normal academic activities after months of closures due to rising bandit attacks.

In Kebbi, the state government approved the immediate resumption of selected primary and secondary schools located in major cities and towns.

The state had ordered school closure following bandit attack on Government Girls’ Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga town, Danko/Wasagu Local Government Area in November, during which 25 schoolgirls were abducted and the school guard killed.

The reopening announcement was made on Sunday by the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Dr. Halimatu Bande, during a briefing in Birnin Kebbi.

According to Bande, the resumption takes effect from Monday, January 5, 2026, and applies only to schools within urban centres. Schools in rural areas will reopen later, following further improvements in security.

“Only schools located within major cities and towns are approved to resume at this stage,” Bande said. “Schools outside these areas will reopen at a later date, which will be communicated in due course.”

The commissioner explained that the phased reopening is aimed at ensuring the safety of students and teachers while gradually restoring full academic activities across the state.

She also directed Education Secretaries and Zonal Directors to enforce compliance and monitor implementation, appealing to parents and guardians to ensure that their children return to school promptly.

Bande commended Governor Nasir Idris for his sustained support for education, describing his administration as committed to providing safe, inclusive, and quality learning for all children in Kebbi State.

Meanwhile, in Kwara State, the Ministry of Education and Human Capital Development has ordered the resumption of academic activities in all schools from today (Monday).

The directive, issued by the ministry’s Press Secretary, Peter Amogbonjaye, quoted the Commissioner for Education, Dr. Lawal Olohungbebe, as saying that learning will resume immediately, except in areas still under “special security measures.”

“Learning activities are to resume immediately in all but areas earlier identified to be under special security surveillance,” the statement said. “Normal school activities will resume in such places very soon.”

The move follows a November 2025 directive that temporarily closed schools in several local government areas, including Ifelodun, Ekiti, Irepodun, Isin, and Oke Ero, in response to escalating insecurity and bandit attacks.

The closures were aimed at safeguarding pupils and teachers and were part of broader emergency responses to violent incidents in the state.

To ensure continuity in learning, especially for pupils in areas still affected by insecurity, the ministry also announced a radio-based learning initiative in collaboration with UNICEF and the Nigeria Learning Passport.

The programme, airing on the state-owned 99.1 Midland FM, will begin on January 5, with scheduled broadcasts at 11 a.m. on Mondays and Tuesdays, 1 p.m. on Wednesdays, and 2:30 p.m. on Fridays. Additional radio stations will be added to expand reach.

“The initiative aims to ensure continuity in learning, especially for pupils in areas where school activities are still limited by security concerns,” the ministry said.

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