The Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP) is piloting School Connect, a global digital monitoring tool designed to track compliance with the approved ecological menu and improve accountability in meal preparation and service delivery.
The Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Dr Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, who made this known in Parliament last Wednesday, said the project was being supported by the World Food Programme (WFP) and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) to improve the quality, safety and nutritional value of meals served under the Ghana School Feeding Programme.
In addition, she said, with support from the World Bank, the GSFP had developed School Meal Cards that provided clear guidance on food preparation quantities, portion control and nutritional standards.
“These tools are intended to strengthen compliance with the programme’s Standard Operating Procedures (SoPs) by caterers, head teachers and relevant school authorities, who have also been trained to effectively monitor adherence to these guidelines,” she said.
The minister said this in response to a question by the Member of Parliament for Ketu North, Eric Edem Agbana, who asked what specific measures were being implemented to ensure quality food was served under the GSFP.
Routine monitoring
The minister said the GSFP had further undertaken nationwide capacity-building for caterers and head cooks on food hygiene, food safety standards, nutrition and the preparation of adequate and wholesome meals in line with the GSFP operational guidelines and SoPs.
To improve the nutritional quality of meals in a cost-effective manner, Dr Lartey said soybean powder had also been introduced as an additional protein source for use in meals such as banku, tuo zaafi, kenkey, rice balls, waakye, jollof rice, soups, stews and related dishes.
Furthermore, she said, routine monitoring and supervision at the national, regional, district, and school levels were being conducted continuously to ensure compliance with quality assurance standards and operational guidelines for meal provision under the programme.
“Mr Speaker, the government remains committed to improving the quality, safety and nutritional value of meals served under the Ghana School Feeding Programme, while ensuring sustainability within the current grant allocation framework.
“We are confident that the measures being implemented will significantly strengthen service delivery and improve nutritional outcomes for schoolchildren across the country,” he said.
Child hawkers
On the question of the ministry’s plans to remove child hawkers from the streets, Dr Lartey said, her ministry, as the lead coordinating institution for social protection and child welfare, remained deeply concerned about the rising incidence of child hawking and of children living or working on the streets.
She said under section 16 (1) of the Children’s Act, 1998 (Act 560), metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies (MMDAs) were mandated to protect their welfare and promote the rights of children within their jurisdictions.
Besides, she said the MMDAs were also to ensure effective coordination among relevant agencies on matters concerning children.
Accordingly, the minister said the direct responsibility for removing children from street situations, including child hawking, primarily rested with the MMDAS, in collaboration with other stakeholders.
Notwithstanding that mandate, she said the ministry was working with MMDAs, the Department of Social Welfare and Community Development, the Ghana Police Service, civil society organisations and development partners to strengthen child protection mechanisms to identify, rescue, rehabilitate, and reintegrate vulnerable children engaged in street hawking.
“Recognising that poverty remains a key driver of child hawking, the ministry continues to implement social protection interventions such as the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) programme, school feeding initiatives and complementary livelihood support programmes aimed at reducing household vulnerability and discouraging child labour practices,” she said.
Together with stakeholders, Dr Lartey said the ministry continued to intensify public awareness campaigns of the harmful effects of child hawking, child labour and exploitation, while promoting the importance of education and child protection.
“The ministry is also supporting coordinated actions by MMDAs and relevant enforcement agencies to identify children on the streets, provide temporary care and counselling services and facilitate family tracing and reintegration where appropriate.
