Matters Arising From President Buhari's Free Meal Program

President Muhammadu Buhari through vice president Yemi Osinbajo reiterated government stance and resolve to provide a meal per day for primary school pupils nationwide with a view to promoting school enrollment nationwide and also providing employment for the unemployed.

The policy of free feeding is not new in the political space of Nigeria and successive governments both at the state and federal level have experimental on the policy with varying degree of successes. For instance during the  Obasanjo led federal government (1999-2007), free school feeding was introduce in 2005, with minimal success recorded. 

The governments of Osun and Kano also experimented the program but met serious brick-wall in its sustenance as lack of resources and proper planning marred the exercise. On recurring decimal on why the programs failed were lack of funds and improper coordination.

As the Buhari administration puts machinery in place to commence the program, analysts have maintained that though the program is laudable, it must be seen as a means to an end and not an end itself. They maintained that other problems of the education sector such as infrastructure, teachers welfare, new curriculum, books, libraries etc must also go in line with the policy to achieve the desired result.

Argument in favor of the policy:

1. Motivates children to enroll into school

2. Employment for persons involved in the cooking (1.14 million jobs)

3. Boost food production by up to 530,000 metric tonnes per annum

4. Attract fresh investments up to N980bn.

Arguments against the policy:

1. Cost effective (estimated N271.6 billion to be spent annually on 35 Million primary schools across the country.)

2. Room for corrupt tendencies.

3. May not be sustainable due to dwindling governmental revenue.

4. May erode core essence of going to school which is to learn, as most pupils may only be interested in the food.

The program is also likely to face challenges raging from quality of food shared, fear of food poisoninig etc.

In conclusion I think for the desired impact to be felt, the government must accompany this policy of free feeding with other reforms in the educational sector such as infrastructural development, teachers welfare, new curriculum among others.

Michael Onjewu is an economist and public affairs analyst based in Abuja.(07032879723, twitter @MikoOnjewu).