By Lubabatu I. Garba
The Kano State Commissioner for Education, Dr. Ali Haruna Makoda, disclosed that the state government has upgraded the quality and quantity of food supplied to boarding schools.
Dr. Makoda disclosed this while addressing Principals of boarding schools and Contractors of food stuff during an interactive meeting.
According to the statement signed by the Director Public Enlightenment, of the ministry of education, Balarabe Abdullahi Kiru, Dr. Makoda said that “Based on the report I have, His Excellency has already given approval for the review of the food price rate from N787.8 to N1,430.88 which represents increase of food price given to student by 82% and that improves the entire system of the feeding programme.
Dr. Makoda noted that since the assumption of office by Governor Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, significant achievements have been recorded in the school feeding programme in the state.
“Even from what I heard from the Principals and Contractors, it shows to me that the Governor has brought about a significant transformation in the schools feeding programme ” he acknowledged.
He added that the administration of Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf would continue to ensure prompt payment of Contractors that supply food stuff to the 39 boarding schools in the state.
He assured that “whenever the schools food supply Contractors are verified, governmeent would make surerd they receive their payment on due course without any delay”
The Commissioner therefore urged the contractors to work diligently in meeting the contract agreement, assuring that his office will remain committed in ensuring speed processing of all requests sent by the contractors.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on schools feeding programme Alhaji Umar Musa Gama has attributed the successes recorded to the commitment of Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf to overhaul the education sector, citing that at two different occasions, the Governor reviewed the price of food stuff which he described as commendable.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry Alhaji Bashir Baffa Muhammad said the meeting was organized to critically review the 2023/2024 schools feeding programme and offer advice on how best to improve the system for the 2024/2025 feeding programme.
He revealed that despite the challenges of acute inflation of food stuff price, Kano State Government had responded positively to the request of contractors by reviewing the price of food stuff.
Speaking on behalf of the Contractors, Alhaji Uba Magayaki commended the Governor for setting up, what he called a solid foundation aimed at improving the feeding program.
He assured the commissioner of the Contractors’ commitment to be supplying the best qualitative food to schools as contained in the contract agreement.