The Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection has announced that caterers under the Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP) will continue to receive GHC1.50 per child for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Minister Dakoa Newman confirmed this decision during a recent press briefing.
Minister Newman addressed ongoing concerns regarding the adequacy of the current funding, stating, “The GHC1.50 per child allocation was recently reviewed, and there are no immediate plans to increase it.”
She emphasized the need for fiscal responsibility and effective resource management despite calls for a higher rate.
In response to reports of irregular meal provision and quality, the Ministry is introducing modern technology to monitor better and ensure that meals meet health and nutritional standards.
Minister Newman acknowledged the challenges: “We recognize that some caterers have not consistently met the expected standards.
The new policy aims to address these issues for the upcoming academic year.”
All caterers must reapply through a new online platform to enhance the program’s efficiency.
This measure is intended to streamline operations and improve monitoring and assessment of caterer performance.
Additionally, the Ministry is addressing the issue of delayed payments to caterers. Minister Newman assured stakeholders that efforts are underway to clear outstanding arrears and ensure timely service compensation.
Established in 2005 with Dutch government support, the GSFP provides a nutritious meal to essential public school pupils to boost enrollment, attendance, and retention.
Despite payment delays and insufficient funding, the government remains committed to the program’s goals and continues to seek improvements in its implementation.
