The Kaduna State Government said on Friday that it spent more than N8 billion on school feeding within the first eight months of the programme in 2016.
The state’s Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Andrew Nok, made the disclosure at the inauguration of an e-library at the Queen Amina College, Kaduna.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the library was constructed and equipped by the Universal Basic Education Commission.
Nok said that the price for feeding students in boarding schools has been increased from N50 per student per meal to N100, as part of efforts to ensure that students were well fed.
“We are currently putting all the needed logistics in place to resume the feeding programme.
“Under the arrangement, the Federal Government will feed students from primary one to three, while the state government will feed students from primary four to six, “he said.
The state government began the school feeding programme in January 2016 at the cost of N1.1 billion monthly.
It was also agreed that the Federal government would refund to the state 60 per cent of the amount spent on feeding primary one to three pupils.
However, the programme was suspended after eight months, following the failure of the federal government to reimburse the state as agreed.
The commissioner said that the state government was currently upgrading, renovating and transforming 15 secondary schools into complete boarding schools.
He said some of the schools are, Rimi College Kaduna, Government College Kachia, Government College Saminaka, Government Girls College Zankwa and Government Girls College Kwai among others.
“We will upgrade, renovate and equip the schools with latest laboratories equipment and modern technology with a view to achieving excellence in teaching and learning.
He noted that the ongoing renovation in Queen Amina College will gulp N600 million, while furniture and beds with mattresses would cost N300 million and N150 million respectively across the 15 schools.
Earlier, the Principal of the college, Hajiya Balkisu Ubangari explained that the e-library was constructed by UBEC to enhance teaching and learning in the school.
She commended the state government for the laudable intervention in the school, adding that the effort would improve the quality of teaching and learning.
Ubangari appealed to the state government to install solar panel as alternative source of power to keep the e-library running for 24 hours.
She also said that the school would need more boreholes to meet the water needs of students, additional beds and mattresses as well as furniture. (NAN)
