Zamfara State Government has introduced a feeding programme to Almajiri Quranic Schools across the state.
Gov. Bello Matawalle made the disclosure at the flag-off of the feeding programme held in Gusau, on Saturday.
The governor who was represented by the Commissioner for Local Government and Community Development, Alhaji Abubakar Spawa, said the programme is designed by the administration to give Almajiri school pupils the sense of belonging.
He said that with the initiative in place, Quranic school pupils across the state would be relieved from the trouble of searching for what to eat, and will make them feel at home and face their studies seriously.
Spawa said to give the programme a befitting structure and sustainability, the state government would establish a Directorate for Quranic Recitation that would be saddled with the responsibility of handling the programme.
Speaking earlier, the Special Adviser to the State Governor on the Directorate for Quranic Recitation, Dr Atiku Balarabe, noted that the significance of the programme could not be over emphasised, considering the fact that Quranic school pupils (Almajiris) have neither parents nor guardians.
He commended the foresight of the state governor for introducing such an important programme at the time when the state needs all the necessary policies that could stem the wandering about of youths in the state.
Balarabe warned officials assigned to manage the feeding programme across the state to and work with honesty and shun sectionalism or political sentiments in discharging their duties.
Giving the highlight of the programme, the Executive Secretary of the Directorate, Malam Sani Abdullahi, said that the programme would first take its pilot stage in 52 Quranic Schools, from the 14 local government areas of the state.
Abdullahi said of the 52 schools selected, 10 are in Gusau local government area, being the area with a larger number of Quranic schools, and 13 local government areas have three schools each.
He further said that each selected school from Gusau, will be receiving 10 bags of rice and N20,000 monthly allowance, while those selected from the remaining 13 local government areas will each receive 10 bags of maize and N20,000 monthly allowance.
According to him, the state government, through the Directorate, will construct additional Quranic schools, provide uniforms and more classes to the existing schools across the state.