The Mampong school children got it right!
How many tomatoes should one use in cooking soup for 600 people? No, this is not a question from a cookery examination; nor is it from the ‘What do you know?’ quiz’. It’s a question prompted by a recent news item, one of those that makes one chuckle, or laugh, before one realizes that it’s no laughing matter.
Advertisement
And definitely one needs some humour in these days of so much cost-of-living stress and traumatic experiences. We’re remembering with pain the death toll, property lost or damaged in the flood and fire catastrophes which Accra experienced a year ago today.
A memorable story about soup was published in the Daily Guide of Wednesday May 25. Under the headline, “Pupils Reject School Feeding”, Joe Awuah Jnr reported from Kumasi that pupils of the Asante Mampong Methodist Primary A and B School, Ashanti Region, last Monday rejected food prepared for them by their School Feeding Programme (SFP) caterer.
The children reportedly complained bitterly that the banku and soup that had been prepared for their lunch was unappetizing and so they would not eat it.
Speaking on ‘Otec FM’ on Monday, Mark Ababio, headmaster of the school confirmed that the food prepared by the caterer was usually “sub-standard”. Apart from it being tasteless, the children had constantly complained of diarrhoea from her meals.
More astounding still, he said he had gathered that the caterer had used tomatoes costing less than GH¢2 that Monday to prepare the soup for the about 600 pupils. “But when I asked (her), she debunked the report saying she used GH¢3 worth of tomatoes,” Mr Ababio said.
He disclosed that prior to the incident, he had told the caterer to improve the quality of her food, but there had been no change.
The Asante Mampong Municipal Assembly had hurriedly instituted a committee to investigate the circumstances which led to the pupils rejecting the food, the Guide stated.
As indicated, I was initially amused when I read the report, especially the caterer’s startling explanation about the quantity of tomatoes she used. Then I asked myself how anybody could cook soup for 600 with that small quantity of tomatoes and expect to get a palatable dish.
Or was it because the food was for children that the caterer thought it didn’t matter what ingredients or quantities went into it?
If so, a sad mistake. Anybody who feeds youngsters knows that it’s rather children who normally tend to be very hard to please where food is concerned. Some have to be coaxed to even taste their food!
So why would anybody think it acceptable to use that small quantity of tomatoes in a dish for hundreds of children? Clearly, something is wrong! The indications are that the ‘caterer’ is probably not qualified.
On the other hand, if in Asante Mampong GH¢3 can buy a basketful of tomatoes, then I’m wrong and I owe the unnamed caterer an apology. However, I’m told by somebody familiar with the Asante Mampong area that currently even with GH¢5 one would get only a handful of tomatoes, certainly not enough to cook for even a hundred.
Furthermore, as the ‘caterer’ was economizing on tomatoes, what about the fish or meat quantities? Would she add the expense of tomato paste to complement the fresh tomatoes, as is normally done?
Incidentally, sometime ago, Ghana was reported to be the world’s second highest importer of tomato paste, next to Germany, but I suspect that this particular Mampong ‘caterer’ is not one of those responsible for Ghana’s high tomato paste imports!
And evidently if the insects reportedly reducing tomato harvests in Nigeria and causing distress to caterers there should come to Ghana, this ‘caterer’ wouldn’t be affected!
I recall that earlier this year, it was reported that the SFP caterers had gone on strike because they had not been paid, although later there were reports about payments having been made. Does the Mampong tomato story mean that some caterers are still owed money and thus they’re having to cut corners, do things cheaply, to be able to continue cooking for the children?
Other questions: are the SFP caterers given any training at all when they are given the contract? If they are not experienced or people who have formal qualifications in cookery, does the SFP give them any kind of orientation for the purpose?
Undoubtedly, cooking for numbers is not the same as cooking for one’s family. It takes expertise to know what ingredients and quantities to use in order to create an appetizing, safe to eat dish.
Also: if the headmaster himself knew that there were problems with the food quality why didn’t he draw the attention of the SFP regional or national office? Does this mean that the programme has no supervisory office or troubleshooting system?
If there is no orientation for newly-engaged caterers, it is suggested that one should be put in place as soon as possible. It’s also important to provide opportunity for school authorities, parents, and even pupils, to report problems.
Anyway, I hope that, typical of Ghanaian officials who hate criticisms the SFP leadership has not been looking for who among the children they should punish for their unprecedented boycott. Rather, the SFP should take it in good faith and solve immediately the food quality problem that the pupils so forcefully revealed.
It is the duty of the SFP to look out for the interest of the children, to check constantly the quality of the food. Unfortunately, the adults shirked their responsibility and therefore the children had no choice but to take action themselves.
The Asante Mampong Methodist Primary A and B children got it right. Apparently they know their rights and they have spoken. They must be listened to!