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Vice-President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo has said the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration would soon start giving primary school children free meals, in line with his electoral promises.
He said this on Tuesday at the 45th Annual Accountants Conference in Abuja.
According to him, the free feeding scheme was a core project of the Federal Government that would in turn yield about 1.14 million jobs and increase in food production.
The Vice President spoke on the topic “Repositioning Nigeria for Sustainable Development: From Rhetoric to Performance,”. He stated that the multiplier effects of the introduction of the school feeding scheme would help to create 1.14 million new jobs; increase food production by up to 530,000 metric tonnes per annum, as well as attract fresh investments up to N980bn.
His words: “One of the most important interventions required in the education sector is capacity building to improve teacher quality.
“This programme is intended to drive teachers’ capacity development; boost basic education; attract talents to the teaching profession. Better educated population increases economic potential for productivity.”
“The All Progressives Congress has made a commitment to provide one-meal-a-day for all primary school students; that would create jobs in agriculture, including poultry, catering and delivery services.”