The Kaduna State Government has sacked two senior education officials and suspended two others for diverting food meant for the feeding of primary school pupils.
The Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Dr Shehu Adamu, said at a news briefing in Kaduna on Thursday, that the officials had circumvented laid down procedures of the government’s Schools Feeding Programme, which commenced in January.
“A School Support Officer in Birnin Gwari Local Government Area (LGA), Ibrahim Abdullahi has been sacked for supplying oranges and biscuits meant for school pupils to a fruits vendor in Birning Gwari to sell for him. “Also, the Headmaster of L.E.A Labi, in Karji, Kubau LGA was also sacked for collecting bribe from a vendor who received government money but did not cook. “Instead of returning the money she shared it with the headmaster. “We have also received a report that the Headmaster of Nuhu Bamali Primary School in Kaduna South LGA loaded his car with pupils’ oranges and drove out. “The headmaster has been suspended until investigation is concluded and if found guilty, he will also be sacked. “The police is also investigating the Headmaster of Nomadic Fulani School in Ricifa, Soba LGA for inflating the number of pupils in the school. “He is also suspended and would be sacked if found guilty,” Adamu said.
The commissioner disclosed that a query had been issued to the Education Secretary of Igabi LGA, for allegedly contracting men as food vendors for the schools feeding programme instead of women. “According to the report, the men would cook the food and hire women to serve the pupils in the schools. We are investigating the matter and he would be sacked if found wanting.” The commissioner also said that the ministry was investigating allegations that some vendors were supplying soya bean sauce in place of egg sauce to pupils.
He warned that any food vendor found engaged in the practice would be prosecuted. Adamu said the government would undertake the biometric data capture of all the food vendors contracted for the programme, to stop the replacement of the vendors from the original list by some mischievous officials.
He appealed to Parent Teachers Association and School-Based Management Boards to strictly monitor the programme and report anyone found undermining the process. Over 1.5 million pupils in over 4,000 primary schools are benefiting from the free feeding programme
