PRIVATES SCHOOLS IN TROUBLE IN IMO OVER HOME GROWN SCHOOL FEEDING—NOA

 
REPORTER: CHINAZO ILECHUKWU

The National Home Grown School Feeding Programme of the Federal Government has significantly increased children’s enrolment into public primary schools, especially within the rural areas of Imo state.

The Imo State Coordinator of the National Orientation Agency, Mrs. Maureen Oparaji, made this known in Owerri during a training organized for Chief Orientation and Mobilization Officers of the agency across the 27 local government areas of the state.

She described the school feeding programme as a huge success in Imo State, noting that many private schools in the rural areas were lamenting losing their pupils to public schools as a result of the free meals.

Mrs. Oparaji explained that the training was to acquaint the NOA Officers, especially those who newly assumed the position of Chief Orientation and Mobilization Officers, with the implementation of the home grown school feeding programme and their responsibilities towards sustaining the successes recorded.

“In our efforts to communicate government policies, programmes and activities to the communities, we use our Chief Orientation and Mobilization Officers in the local government.

“They sensitize people about the school feeding programme so that parents will allow their children to go to school.

“I have told them today this sensitization will take you to motor parks, market women and will also use services of town criers,” she said.

Mrs. Oparaji said the National Orientation Agency had embarked on aggressive sensitization to the people, especially now that a new academic session had commenced to scale up pupil enrolment into public schools.

She added that the officers at the local government areas would employ the use of town criers and other public enlightenment avenues to educate the people

Some of the Chief Orientation and Mobilization Officers of the NOA, who spoke with Radio Nigeria,said the refresher course had equipped them with necessary information on the Home Grown School Feeding Programme and promised to redouble their efforts in the sensitization.

EDITED BY CHUKWUBUIKE MADU