THE National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, has said the N13.4 billion earmarked for the feeding of school children at home be committed to building infrastructure in tertiary institutions, saying feeding children while at home with their parents with such amount was a misplaced priority.
NANS, in a statement to this effect, threatened to mobilise its members nationwide in a “mother of all protest” should the federal government proceed with its decision to feed school children at home.
It insisted in the statement through its president, Danielson Akpan, that the amount earmarked for the scheme be used in funding projects in tertiary institutions.
“It is a misplaced priority for the government to commit such an amount of feeding children at a time the schools are shut down to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
“This money can be used to fund infrastructural projects in our tertiary institutions”, Akpan said
Akpan insisted that the programme was a misplaced priority in this time of the nation’s situation, said: “The National body of NANS, led by my able self, Comrade Danielson Akpan after a deliberate and robust discussion on the federal government’s decision to commence the school feeding programme during a virtual meeting held earlier this morning vehemently reject and condemned in totality the said decision.
“It is quite unfortunate and disturbing that our government at this time is giving priority to a programme that would further encourage wastage of hard-earned resources.
“We condemn in totality the plan to feed school children at home. The continuation of the school feeding programme at this period that schools are closed is not acceptable.
“It is unrealistic, unimaginable, and unachievable. There is no justification for it and it must be stopped.
“If the Federal Government goes ahead to implement the programme, we will have no choice than to mobilise our members across the federation for a mother of all protest.
“We, however, called on the Federal government to use the money meant for the execution of this programme for more productive things. The Federal government should channel the money for the school feeding programme for reviving the almost collapsed education system.”