Minister of Education, Dr. Olatunji Alausa, has identified school feeding, school health services and nutrition education as key strategies for tackling child malnutrition under the Federal Government’s Nutrition 774 Initiative.
Speaking at the Ethiopia–Nigeria Leadership Exchange on Nutrition in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Alausa said the education sector must play a stronger role in improving the health and wellbeing of Nigerian children.
He said ending malnutrition requires close collaboration among the education, health, agriculture, planning and other critical sectors, with active participation from the federal, state and local governments.
The minister explained that the Nutrition 774 Initiative is designed to take nutrition interventions directly to all 774 local government areas, especially communities where children need the most support.
According to him, education remains central to the initiative because good nutrition, better health and quality learning are closely linked.
Alausa said expanding school feeding programmes would not only improve children’s nutrition but also encourage more pupils to enrol in school and remain in class.
He also revealed that nutrition education has been incorporated into Nigeria’s revised school curriculum to teach children healthy eating habits, wellbeing and healthy lifestyles from an early age.
The minister said the Ministry of Education is proposing school feeding, school health, nutrition education and improved access to quality education as its major contributions to the Nutrition 774 Initiative.
He added that these interventions will form part of local government food and nutrition action plans, with education indicators included in the initiative’s performance scorecard to strengthen accountability.
Alausa stressed the need to extend nutrition support beyond a child’s first 1,000 days, saying early childhood development requires sustained attention throughout the growing years.
He also called for better integration of government data to help identify vulnerable children, improve planning and ensure nutrition programmes reach their intended beneficiaries.
The minister urged state and local governments to back national nutrition policies with effective implementation, adequate funding and proper monitoring to achieve lasting results.
He said Nigeria would study Ethiopia’s successful nutrition programmes and adapt useful lessons to strengthen domestic efforts while working with development partners.
Alausa reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, saying better nutrition, stronger school feeding programmes and quality education will help build a healthier, more productive generation of Nigerians.
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