School Feeding Programme: PTA, parents, lament poor feeding condition of students in FGGC Potiskum
Story from Haruna A. YUSUF
The Parent Teachers Association (PTA) of Federal Government Girls College (FGGC) Potiskum, Yobe State has complained about the poor utilisation of resources given to the school management which has resulted in many parents and guardians removing their children from the school as well as some teachers seeking transfer.
This was disclosed to Neptune Prime during an interview conducted with the PTA Chairman, Baba Muhammad Fada in Abuja.
Fada said the students have been reporting negative reviews to their parents about their living conditions, especially in terms of feeding.
“As the PTA Chairman, I am conversant with all the activities of the school because I visit there regularly. I try to make sure our wards are taken care of as designed by the Federal Ministry of Education, especially in the area of their studies, health, feeding and general wellbeing.
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“In recent times, we have noticed that students’ condition of living has reduced in quality and again, the complaints coming to us as parents by the students is that they (students) are being underfed.
“In some of my usual visits, I saw where students of FGGC Potiskum are being fed with a small quantity of pap and two small pieces of Akara (beans cake)
“I was compelled to talk to some of the students over the poor diet; most of them said it is tasteless and gives them no satisfaction.
“The Federal Government, through the Ministry of Education has designed a menu on how to feed the students of all government colleges nationwide, considering the fact that most of these students are in their formative age.
The Chairman also revealed that the school principal sacks casual staff like cleaners, matron, security and kitchen staff without paying them off.
In addition, there is the issue of refundable levies like magazine levy, caution levy, etc for the outgoing students but the principal refuses to pay, claiming that there is no money.
“I gathered that the principal, Hajiya Suwaiba, is about to retire soon so she is doing anything dubiously possible to amass wealth for her self and that is why she is acting this way” Fada added.
Neptune Prime reached out to one of the staff of FGGC Potiskum that was disengaged, Baba Muhammad Alhaji, who used to work as kitchen staff.
“Let me tell you that before now, the school management used to give good food like tea and bread for breakfast, lunch was rice and stew with meat or fish, and for dinner, they had yam and stew with meat but now the principal said she doesn’t have money, so she cut down badly on the quality and quantity of the food given to students.
“Now the students feed on small pieces of Akara and pap”.
Neptune Prime sought to speak with the principal, Hajiya Suwaiba Salihu but she declined.
Recall that, Buni Yadi Government College was relocated to Potiskum in Yobe State as a result of the insecurity that besieged the community, presently Buni Yadi Government College and FGGC share the same premises.
The PTA Chairman further said the Federal Ministry of Education has designed a uniform menu across the nation aimed at providing a balanced diet for school children. The menu contains meals such as, tea and bread, spaghetti, rice, eggs and orange, yam, with regular proteins which include meat, ice-fish or dry fish and beans.
Fada said despite receiving the feeding allocation, the quality of food in FGGC Potiskum is very poor to the point that students sometimes feed on raw maize and okro with no ingredients. He also said, most times, the food ends up in the dustbin because it’s tasteless.
“I want to believe that such insipid food can not be given to any of the students in their respective homes,” he laments.
The Chairman further revealed that parents are very worried about the situation, so the PTA association made an effort to meet with the school management over the falling standard and continuous deteriorating living conditions of the students.
“The PTA had a meeting with the management headed by the principal, Hajiya Suwaiba Salihu where she told us that the school doesn’t have enough money, which of course, is not true”.
In his view, the Federal Ministry of Education has done remarkably well in the area of developmental projects; such as the renovation of girls’ hostel, laboratory and others. So, for the ministry to see to the end of such a capital project, students’ feeding will definitely be captured.
He came up with an example of Buni Yadi Federal Government College, which he said shares the same premises with FGGC Potiskum. “In their case, the former still maintains good feeding standards for their students and staff”.
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