Hunger in the Classroom: FG, TechnoServe Move to Rescue Millions of Schoolchildren from Malnutrition and Learning Crisis
ABUJA — The Federal Government’s drive to strengthen school feeding took a broader child rights dimension on Monday as TechnoServe Nigeria signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the National Home Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP) to improve the quality and safety of meals served to millions of primary school pupils.
Signed in Abuja, the agreement seeks to enhance nutrition standards, improve food safety systems and support smallholder farmers within the supply chain. The NHGSFP operates under the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA).
Beyond social investment, the initiative touches two core child rights: survival and development. Adequate nutrition is fundamental to a child’s survival, protecting against illness, stunting and long-term health complications. However, it is equally critical to a child’s right to development, particularly education.
Children who suffer from hunger or micronutrient deficiencies often struggle with concentration, memory retention and classroom participation. Poor nutrition has been linked to lower academic performance, increased absenteeism and higher dropout rates. For many pupils, the school meal represents not just food security but the physical and cognitive support needed to learn effectively.
National Programme Manager of NHGSFP, Princess Aderemi Adebowale, acknowledged ongoing challenges around malnutrition and food insecurity, stressing the need to improve meal diversity and standards. TechnoServe Nigeria’s Country Director, Adesuwa, said the partnership will expand tested models that trained caterers, strengthened value chains and improved compliance in select states.
Stakeholders said introducing data-driven monitoring systems will be essential to ensure measurable gains in both health and learning outcomes.
If effectively implemented, the partnership could reinforce children’s survival while strengthening their right to education, ensuring that school feeding serves as both a safety net and a foundation for development.
