The step-down training for NGOs/CSOs on monitoring the National Home Grown School Feeding Programme was held in the conference hall of Imo State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Owerri.
The moderator, Mrs. Chioma Nnajiofor, started off the step-down training with a general overview of what the monitoring of NHGSFP will entail across the 26 Local Government Areas of the State. As she continued, she gave a brief background on the NHGSFP, pointing to its commencement with 12 states as a pilot, but only Kano and Osun states sustained in the federation since 2015 when it was under the office of the Vice President. She also added that a sustainable school feeding programme will establish a safety net for the poor/vulnerable and reduce the incidence of malnourished school age children, while adding value to the national economy to improve supply chain and production of food to meet the demand of school feeding which have empowered over 8.9 million pupils.
Aim and Objectives
The moderator listed the aim and objectives of NHGSFP going forward as –
- To improve the health outcomes and nutritional status of children in public pre-primary and primary schools in the state
- To improve educational outcomes, encourage enrolment and retention of school age children and discourage dropping out with the aim of ensuring completion of basic primary school education
- To stimulate local production and consumption of agricultural produce in the Community, Local Government, and the State through the school feeding programme.
- To create jobs and economic opportunities along the value chain of the Programme thus, improving family and state economy.
Following the group work and plenary, the Hon. Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development who doubles as the Focal Person in Imo State – Dr. Princess Rabi Ibrahim (MON) (PhD) and her team joined the session. She was pleased with the proceedings and expressed satisfaction with the Moderator’s style of presentation. She took time to address participants and made the following remarks –
- Identification Cards: She said there is need for the monitoring team to have a form of identification to avoid having miscreant parading as monitors to destabilize the smooth running of the program in the state. So, when going to different schools in the various Local Government Areas, it will be a smooth sail for the monitors. She promised to write to her counterpart in the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian affairs in Abuja on the issue.
- Giving Micro-Nutrients: She gave an example using her father who is still alive and healthy at 110 years that he can still climb the stairs to the penthouse on his own, unattended. This is because of his healthy eating. She emphasized the essence of ensuring that the meals contain micro-nutrient, she enjoined Monitors to make sure that vegetables and strictly, eggs are contained in the meals. She also warned that it is out of place for teachers to eat before the pupils.
- Vendors (Aggregator): The Hon. Commissioner affirmed that there should be a proof of what one wants to aggregate on. She made an instance that if you want to supply eggs you must have a poultry farm. The aim is to make use of aggregators in the state to stimulate the state economy and having cluster cooking to form cooperatives. She admonished participants to work for the interest of the community dwellers and not for monetary gains, adding that being passionate is one of the values required to do the work effectively.
After the Hon. Commissioner’s speech, there was a break for group photographs.
As the sessions continued, the moderator made a step-by-step presentation of the NHGSFP reporting tools Forms 1-16 to all participants to familiarize them with it and ask possible questions on the various sections in the forms. The session was the most active point of the day’s activity following her emphasis on the need to ensure proper and accurate documentation of observations using the tools. She also drew the participants’ attention to the age long monitoring and evaluation mantra that says – whatever is not documented is not done.
