HOME-GROWN SCHOOL FEEDING SYSTEM AS A SAFETY NET FOR SUSTAINABLE EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA: HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE

Abstract

Deprivations in education, health, employment, housing and extreme
poverty among Nigerian households have constrained the progression
of attaining Universal Basic Education programme objectives as a
probable social safety net. As a result of this, dropout is frequent and
low school completion rates indicate that education quality remains a
major challenge especially in poor and rural communities. Thus, this
paper examined Home-Grown School Feeding System as a safety net for
sustainable educational development in Nigeria; Historical Perspective.
The study concluded that Home-Grown School Feeding System
sustained school enrolment, attendance rates, retention rates, pupils
academic performance and reduced dropout rates in public primary
schools. It was recommended among others that Federal government
should expand the coverage of school feeding programme to all states
of the federation predominantly where dropout rate is prevalent. To
enhance all round school feeding and health programme, the school
management and other education stakeholders such as the SchoolBased Management Committee (SBMC) should initiate school feeding
integrated intervention programmes that incorporate school-based 
deworming, WASH, and micronutrient supplementation for primary
school pupils.