A Peoples Democratic Party governorship aspirant in Ekiti State, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, said he would re-introduce the School Feeding Programme pioneered by the PDP-led government in the state if voted in as governor in 2014.
The Segun Oni-led PDP government in Ekiti State had on October 9, 2008 launched the school feeding programme in which eggs and chocolate were served to pupils in public primary schools and Junior Secondary Schools.
Adeyeye spoke while addressing PDP members in Ilawe-Ekiti and Igede-Ekiti, headquarters of Ekiti Southwest and Irepodun/Ifelodun local government areas of the state respectively on Sunday.
Adeyeye, who was the Chairman of the Ekiti State Universal Basic Education Board under Oni, condemned the stoppage of the programme, saying, “When I was the Chairman of the SUBEB, we were giving our pupils free egg and cocoa drink.
“Those in government now stopped the programme without considering its effects on our school pupils and the economy of the state.”
According to him, apart from providing food and necessary nutrients for pupils of public schools in Ekiti, the programme also boosted poultry business in the state.
He said, “In India, where the government is involved in giving free daily meal to about 50 million pupils, reports show that the school feeding programme became an incentive that attracted children to school.
“When we were running the programme, enrolment and attendance in public primary and secondary schools in Ekiti State increased while poultry business also boomed because the government mandated the egg suppliers to supply over one million eggs per day.
“We are therefore, going to re-introduce the programme so that our school pupils can be happy going to school again.”
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