Education

FG targets 20m pupils in school feeding programme by 2026

Published

10 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

16-year-old girl emerges Nigeria’s youngest chartered accountant

Published

8 hours ago

June 29, 2026

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The Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, has congratulated Osasere Okundaye on emerging as Nigeria’s youngest chartered accountant at the age of 16.

In a statement on Monday, Olawande described the feat as a remarkable demonstration of hard work, discipline, resilience and commitment to excellence.

“I heartily congratulate Miss Osasere Okundaye on her outstanding achievement of becoming Nigeria’s youngest Chartered Accountant at just 16 years of age.

“This remarkable milestone is a testament to the power of hard work, discipline, resilience, and an unwavering commitment to excellence,” the minister said.

He noted that Okundaye had become a shining example of the limitless potential of Nigerian youths, saying her achievement should inspire others to pursue excellence.

“Osasere has distinguished herself as a shining example of the limitless potential of Nigerian youth. Her accomplishment reminds us that with determination, dedication, and the right support, young Nigerians can break barriers, set new records, and inspire a generation to dream bigger and strive for excellence,” he added.

The minister also congratulated her parents, family, teachers and mentors for supporting her journey.

“I also congratulate her parents, family, teachers, mentors, and everyone who has supported and guided her journey. Their encouragement, sacrifices, and belief in her abilities have undoubtedly contributed to this exceptional success,” he said.

Olawande reaffirmed the Federal Ministry of Youth Development’s commitment to empowering young Nigerians through programmes and policies aimed at helping them realise their potential.

“Osasere’s achievement reinforces our confidence that the future of Nigeria is bright in the hands of focused, determined, and talented young citizens,” he said.

He wished the teenager greater success in the years ahead, expressing hope that her story would inspire millions of young Nigerians.

Okundaye earned the feat after qualifying as a chartered accountant through the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, becoming the youngest person to achieve the professional qualification in the country.

Her achievement surpasses the previous record set in 2022 by Jonathan Adewale, who became Nigeria’s youngest chartered accountant at the age of 17 after completing the rigorous ICAN professional examinations.

The qualification, which is typically obtained by graduates and professionals after years of study and examinations, has been widely regarded as one of the country’s most demanding professional certifications.

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Education

Suspended FUOYE SUG president reinstated — NANS

Published

5 days ago

June 25, 2026

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The National Association of Nigerian Students has announced the reinstatement of the suspended Students’ Union Government President of the Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE) , James Adio.

NANS President, Akinteye Babatunde, disclosed this in a post on X on Wednesday, after it disclosed that university’s Senate would consider Adio’s suspension following what it described as high-level engagement with the institution’s management.

“Finally, Comrade Adio, the FUOYE SUG President, has been officially reinstated,” Babatunde wrote.

PUNCH Online had earlier reported that NANS said it secured the reinstatement of some previously suspended students after discussions with the university authorities.

According to the student body, the intervention followed sustained talks with the management over disciplinary actions taken against some students.

Babatunde had said, “The University Senate will convene on Wednesday, 24 June 2026, to give Comrade James Adio fair consideration and the necessary support that will serve both the interest of justice and his academic pursuits going forward.”

He also stated that the affected students had been reinstated and allowed to sit for their examinations.

Adio was earlier suspended alongside two other students over alleged financial irregularities linked to practical fees, a decision that sparked criticism from NANS.

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Education

JAMB axes affiliated degree courses in colleges of education; read details

Published

1 week ago

June 22, 2026

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The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has formally ended admissions into affiliated degree programmes run by colleges of education, marking a major shift in Nigeria’s teacher education system and effectively making the Nigeria Certificate in Education the sole entry route into the institutions from the 2026/2027 academic session.

The decision is contained in JAMB’s newly released NCE/ND Agric Registration Guidelines issued by the Office of the Registrar in June 2026.

Under the new policy, the board declared that “no admission into any affiliated programme in any college of education from the 2026/2027 session.”

JAMB also ruled out direct admission into 100 and 200 levels in colleges of education, insisting that all fresh entrants must now come through the NCE programme.

“With effect from 2026/7 session, no admission into 100 or 200 Level is allowed into any college of education. All entrants are through NCE,” the board stated.

The development signals the end of an era for affiliated degree programmes, which for decades enabled colleges of education to award university degrees through partnerships with conventional universities.

The reform is expected to affect thousands of candidates who applied for degree programmes through affiliated colleges of education for the 2026 admission cycle.

To cushion the impact, JAMB outlined options for candidates who had already selected affiliated colleges of education for degree programmes through Direct Entry.

According to the board, affected candidates may apply for a change of institution at no cost, transfer to the parent university to which the degree programme is affiliated, or allow their second-choice institution to become their first choice for admission processing.

“A candidate may choose to be moved to the parent university to which the degree programme is affiliated,” the board said.

JAMB added that candidates wishing to switch institutions had been given up to June 22 to complete the process.

Similarly, candidates seeking 100-level admission into affiliated colleges of education through the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination have been presented with three options: change institution, elevate their second-choice institution to first choice, or migrate to the NCE programme.

The board said candidates who opted for the NCE route would be required to obtain an O-Level verification code from the relevant examination body and pay only N700 as registration fee on the JAMB portal.

“The candidate may be moved to the NCE programme of the institution, on the understanding that the choice of the college of education indicates an interest in pursuing the NCE qualification,” JAMB explained.

The guidelines further stipulate that every application for NCE admission is a deliberate choice and that candidates recommended for NCE admission would have any ongoing UTME or Direct Entry admission process suspended.

“Anyone who chooses NCE and s/he is proposed/recommended would have any ongoing UTME/DE process suspended,” the board stated.

For candidates who have already applied through the 2026 UTME mode, JAMB said their details would be automatically migrated to their chosen first-choice college of education or agric-related non-technology ND programmes.

The board also introduced mandatory O-Level verification for all NCE applicants, pegging the verification fee at N1,500 for one sitting and N2,000 for two sittings.

JAMB urged colleges of education, institutional professional registration centres, accredited CBT centres and its officials across the country to study the new guidelines and ensure strict compliance.

“All PRCs, IPRCs and officers of the board are to study the guidelines and ensure strict compliance with the information contained therein,” the Registrar stated.

Affiliated degree programmes have long served as a pathway for colleges of education to offer Bachelor’s degrees in partnership with universities, allowing students to earn university degrees while studying in the colleges.

However, the new JAMB policy effectively ends that arrangement for new admissions from the 2026/2027 academic session, reinforcing the NCE as the foundational qualification for teacher education in Nigeria.

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