The Executive Director of Africa Education Watch, has reiterated urgent calls for a thorough review of Ghana’s School Feeding Programme.
He voiced strong concerns over the current procurement-based model, warning that it lacks sustainability and strays from the initiative’s original community-driven intent.
Asare emphasized that the School Feeding Programme, designed to enhance nutrition and education, has lost its way. “The initiative cannot be sustained in its current form, where it is merely a procurement activity,” he asserted. He pointed out that successful school feeding programs globally are built on the foundation of community participation, which has been notably absent in Ghana’s approach.
The education advocate raised alarms about the implications of the government’s proposed allocation of GH¢3.00 per child for lunches at both basic and senior high school levels. He warned that sticking with the same financial assistance across different educational tiers could lead to significant strain on the education system.
Furthermore, Mr. Asare highlighted the stark disparities in access to the program, particularly urging the need to extend its reach into underserved areas. While many northern communities boast enrollment rates of up to 90 percent in the program, districts like Ga East, predominantly served by private schools, are largely excluded. “It is essential to integrate community participation into the GH¢2.00 allocation to enhance its realism. The government alone cannot manage the financing of the School Feeding Programme,” he stressed.
According to EduWatch, reviving community involvement—where local farmers and households provide food in tandem with government support, would not only boost the quality and sustainability of the program but also broaden its impact across more regions in Ghana. Asare’s clarion call for a re-evaluation of the School Feeding Programme resonates strongly as stakeholders look for effective solutions to improve the nutritional and educational landscape for Ghanaian children.
Source: Apexnewsgh.com
