Achieving the Goals of O'MEAL: Why Collaboration is Key

Achieving the Goals of O'MEAL: Why Collaboration is Key*

by TAOFIK Waliu Opeyemi

Elementary education has been the bedrock of formal education in Nigeria. Therefore, the APC led government has decided to embark on an initiative to enhance school feeding, tagged the Osun Elementary School Feeding and Health Programme (O-MEAL) to cater for the feeding of its primary school pupils across the state.

Research has shown the enormous importance of feeding in the lives of primary school students as many are now keen to attend schools because of the O-MEAL project. The project enhances the health of the state's young population and helps to stimulate learning amongst the students across the state.

Therefore, the State government had embarked on the programme due to the need to uplift the face of the department by putting a viable structure in place to ensure that the free feeding programme across all local government areas in the state continues seamlessly.

At this juncture, the Governor, on the counsel of advisers and practitioners in the education sector decided to delegate the responsibility of implementing the project on a woman of dexterity and sagacity, the astute Coordinator of OYE 4 OSUN, a sociopolitical group which propagates the good governance of Oyetola's administration to the people at the grassroots level.

This gesture is not devoid of the giant strides and feats recorded by the esteemed Coordinator of OYE 4 OSUN prior to, during and beyond the electioneering process.

Should we talk about the multipurpose machine donated by the supportive Coordinator and the OYE 4 OSUN group to support Oyetola in his efforts to contain COVID-19 pandemic; or the just concluded community Outreach Programme conducted by her group to feel the impulse of the people and financially support residents across all local government areas in the state?

This intellectual acumen has been noticed by Oyetola and hence, he conferred her with the obligation of uplifting the face of the O-MEAL Programme.

Her leadership style made her the perfect match for the position and it is just a matter of time before the innovative ideas that will further fuel the efficacy of the O-MEAL project be gladly executed across the board.

In the same vein, I beseech on workers in the department delegated to implement the programme to collectively work with the new special Assistant to actualize the facelift.

Therefore, this is a subtle message to all and sundry to prepare for the transformation that will soon commence as Alhaja Fauziat Folake Olaniyan assumes office as the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor in that department.

Concomitantly, I also urge parents and guardians to ensure that all their wards are returned back to school whenever the schools reopen so that their wards can enjoy the feeding programme that will soon takeoff. This would ensure the academic success of their wards and enhance their health and nutritional abilities.