By; Amos Mathew, Kaduna.
A Unionist and former Chairman Trade Union Congress (TUC) Kaduna State Chapter, Comrade Paul Y. Jezhi has said the Kaduna State Government education policy on free feeding of primary school pupils is generating a lot of controversies because it was wrongly introduced.
The former chairman however lauded the free primary/ secondary school education policy of the administration, describing it as quite commendable.
Comrade Paul who disclosed these while speaking to journalists in Kaduna weekend said even though the free feeding policy initiative was also in order, it was not timely.
“The government has gotten it wrong. I’m not saying it is out of place to feed primary school pupils, its in order, and every right thinking person will support i. But first, there are other steps that need to take place. As far as primary school is concern, before you now can feed”, he said.
Comrade Paul noted that, a situation where primary school pupils are made to seat on bare floor in class rooms to learn is counter productive and unacceptable.
He said the governor shouldn’t have been in haste to feed the pupils, adding that it wouldn’t have been out of place if the pupils are provided with Tablets as aid, and other modern learning equipment to improve quality of teaching and learning.
“Its after he has done all that, he can now feed the pupils at the end; he may have his reasons but whatever action he had taken, to me, he has gotten it wrong and that is why it generated a lot of controversy; it is good, but not timely”, he maintained.
According to him, it would have been better if government had addressed the issue of infrastructures before venture to the feeding.
He advised that government could continue with the implementation to the later if the feeding programs has already been captured in the budget, and coming up with review, with the aim to convert the feeding to equipping the schools with modern teaching tools.
While he commended the free education idea, former TUC boss stressed that even though parents may not have be complaining because of the feeding, equipping schools with updated learning aid still remains paramount.
On the alleged hardship caused by the rise in cost of good and services under the present dispensation, the activist urged Nigerian to exercise patient and wait as the Buhari led government would get it right.
He said even though the masses reserved the right to complain and demand better condition of living, they should not blames the current leadership as if it was deliberately imposed on people.
“As it is, the masses have the right to complain about the economy because it is their right to demand for better life, the truth of the matter is that, generally, the economy is not healthy”, stressing that the situation is not peculiar to Nigeria alone.
