Coordinators of GSFP get training on handy measures

The Partnership for Child Development (PCD), under the Imperial College of London in collaboration with Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP) has organised a two-day training programme for directors under the GSFP.

The programme, brought together municipal and district coordinators from Greater Accra, Central, Eastern and Volta Regions in Health, Hygiene and Food Safety under the GSFP.

The participants were also trained in handy measures, and the use of scales for measuring which is not a common practice in Ghana.

Ghanaians have local units of measurements such as Olonka, bowls and coke bottles and the concept of handy measures is it to liken these measurement units to what the scales do.

Mr Fred K Amese, a Nutrition Programme Officer of PCD said district level actors have been trained in the use of ration design tool.

He said based on the training, menus have been developed which indicates the quantities of food to cook and this would help the beneficiaries under the GSFP to get enough nutrients to improve on their health.

Mr Amese said controlling the size or quantity of food served to each child is very important and the amount of food allowed per portion depends on three considerations, which includes the age of the child and level of activity, the quality of the food and healthy state of the beneficiary.

Mr S P Adamu, National Coordinator of the GSFP expressed worry about the delay in payments of caterers and put the blame those who double up numbers of programme beneficiaries as well as late returns of their monthly returns.

Mr Adamu said the GSFP owed caterers about 120 days arrears and out of the number, 63 days have been catered for, while the rest would be paid when schools re-open.

He called on the coordinators to put in place measures that would detect fraud and also do random checks at the various cooking sites.

Mrs Gertrude Ananse-Baiden, Country Manager of PCD took the participants through financial management.

PCD presented measurable containers to the participants.