Nigeria: Aregbesola To Address UK Assembly On ‘O’ Meal
Following the outstanding success of the Osun State government’s school feeding programme, ‘O’ Meal, the state governor, Rauf Aregbesola has been invited to address the House of Common in the United Kingdom on the impact of the feeding programme on education.
Osun State government, through its elementary school feeding programme (‘O’ Meal) provides free nourishing mid-day meal for pupils in Grade 1 to 4 throughout the state, an action that has resulted to increase in pupils enrolment in the state.
The invitation is in recognition of the outstanding transformation of the elementary school education in Osun State by Mr Aregbesola through the ‘O’ Meals programme.
He is expected to provide an overview of the impact of the school feeding programme on pupils enrolment, retention of pupils in schools, empowerment of women and how small scale farmers have been provided means of livelihood through the programme.
Aregbesola who was invited by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Agriculture & Food for Development and the Partnership for Child Development, Imperial College London is scheduled to deliver his address inside the House of Common.
According to a statement signed by the programme advocate, Sunit Bagree, the meeting would focus on the evolution of home grown school feeding (O Meals).
Other speakers expected at the gathering include Prof. Donald Bundy, Lead Health and Education Specialist, World Bank, Ms. Boitshepo Bibi Giyose – Senior Food & Nutrition Security Advisor, New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), African Union and Dr Josephine Kiamba – HGSF Senior Technical Adviser (Southern Africa), Partnership for Child Development, Imperial College London.
