It was a moment of merriment when our reporter got to some of the public primary/nursery school in the Aba North LGEA of Abia state where the federal government National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP) is currently going on.
The Head-Teacher, Mrs Comfort Ngwobia, who took our correspondent round the New Umuahia Road Primary School (I) and School (II) which shares boundaries with St. Ambrose Catholic Church, Umuoba Road has this to say “I like the school feeding scheme. Some kids that do not have guardians to take care of now have hope of a balanced diet in a day.”
According to her, the scheme has increased the numeric strength of the school population and preference is given to the orphans among them. She assured that there is maximum guarantee to food safety as the vendors are been encouraged to observe adequate hygiene. She is optimistic that the scheme would be sustained by subsequent administrations in office.
There were two food vendors in each of the two schools visited. Mrs. Onukafor Ugochi Perpetual and Mrs. Magareth Ukaegbu are the food vendors contracted by the federal government for School (I) and they have up to date experience in catering services. According to Mrs. Onukafor Ugochi Perpetual, they have a menu for each day of the week and her prayer is that the programme should be sustained.
At the New Umuahia Road Primary School (II), one of the vendors, Mrs. Chinedu Precious Ijeoma a supervisor at Crunchies Eatery told our reporter that the children receives the food with joy and gladness.
Another vendor, Mrs Wachukwu Udoka, said that she feels happy when she renders her services because the children sing songs when they arrive to feed them and anticipate their coming each new day.
On the part of the pupils, one of them, Kelechi Chimezie a primary 6 pupil who was eating a plate of beans and potato told our reporter that they all love the food and he could not hold back her “Thank You” to the government. He prays that the programme will be sustained to complement the meals they eat at home.
At a corner in the school notice board, the meal rooster is conspicuously placed so that the pupils and parents alike can have knowledge of the next day’s meal.
