Government clears arrears owed School Feeding caterers

The Minister for Gender and Social Protection, Cynthia Mamle Morrison has noted that outstanding arrears owed caterers for first and second terms of 2018/2019 academic have been paid.

This announcement comes after the minister, three months ago, in a press release noted that the government was mobilizing resources to clear their debt.

Assuring stakeholders of government’s commitment to sustain the programme as well as its service delivery, Cynthia Morrison on Wednesday noted that, “3,023 schools across the country were monitored to check enrolment, quality and quantity of food served and kitchens environment.”

Government, under its ‘agenda for jobs’ has employed over 25,000 workers under the School Feeding Programme to provide “one hot and nutritious meal for 2,663,134 pupils in 8,683 public basic schools.”

According to the minister, this programme is "in fulfilment of Sustainable Development Goal Two (2); end hunger, achieve food security and improve nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture.”

She indicated that over 5,711 centers in the Northern, North East, Savannah, Upper East and Upper West Regions have been trained on practical innovative nutritional requirements for the preparation of meals.

Speaking at Meet the Press, on Wednesday, October 10, 2019, the minister further said “Ghana School Feeding Programme organised series of training sessions for over 5,711 caterers in the Northern, North East, Savannah, Upper East and Upper West Regions. They were trained on standard measurements and practical innovative nutritional requirements for the preparation of meals for the school children with the objective to improve the nutritional value of meals served to pupils. As part of the training, the Ministry donated eating bowls and spoons to some selected schools.”

About School feeding programme

The Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP) was implemented in 2005 in the context of the Comprehensive African Agricultural Development Programme (CAADP) Pillar III and in response to the first and second Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) on eradicating extreme poverty and hunger and achieving universal primary education.

Over the period of implementation, the basic idea of the programme has been to provide children in public primary schools and kindergartens with one hot nutritious meal, prepared from locally grown foodstuffs, on every school-going day. The broad and specific policy objectives of the programme were to improve school enrolment, attendance and retention among pupils in the most deprived communities in Ghana as a strategy.

The programme is to promote an increase in domestic food production and consumption, increase the incomes of poor rural households and also improve the health and nutritional status of the pupils in Ghana.