The Kaduna State government has reaffirmed its commitment to providing qualitative educational opportunities for Almajiri school pupils and other underprivileged children in the state. Dr. Fauziya Buhari-Ado, the Special Assistant to Governor Uba Sani on the school feeding programme, made this assurance while hosting Islamic and underprivileged school pupils as part of the Eid el-Kabir Sallah celebration at the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua bilingual primary school in Maraban Gonda, Sabongari local council of Kaduna State.
Dr. Fauziya emphasized that the government’s decision to celebrate pupils who receive both Western and Islamic education is part of an ongoing effort to ensure that children from less privileged backgrounds have access to quality education in the state. She highlighted the positive impact of the school feeding program, which has cost the state government over N4 billion, in boosting school enrollment and retention, as well as stimulating the local economy.
The school feeding program, which benefits no fewer than 25,000 school pupils spread across the 23 local councils of the state, is aimed at creating an enabling environment for vulnerable children to have equal opportunities to acquire education. The recent Eid el-Kabir Sallah celebration provided an opportunity for Dr. Fauziya to interact with the pupils, many of whom were initially out-of-school children in the state.
Malam AbdulHamid Ahmed, an official of one of the Islamic schools, commended the school feeding initiative as a welcome development, acknowledging its positive impact on school enrollment. The village head of Filin Malawa, Magaji Datiya, expressed gratitude to the Governor Sani-led administration for the kind gesture.
The assurance from the Kaduna State government reflects its proactive approach to addressing educational disparities and ensuring that every child, regardless of their background, has the opportunity to receive a quality education. The commitment to supporting underprivileged children through initiatives like the school feeding program demonstrates the government’s dedication to creating a more inclusive and equitable educational environment for all.
