The harsh reality of Ghana’s school feeding Program
Twelve-year-old Adrian Kay, a class six pupil, no longer eats meals provided by Ghana’s school feeding program. Despite free hot meals being a government initiative, Adrian’s mother packs him home-cooked food daily. “The food is tasteless and not nutritious,” Adrian explained, adding that only eight of his 51 classmates eat the meals regularly.
Adrian’s headmistress, Lucia Boateng (not her real name), corroborated his claims. “With GH₵1.20 per child, how can anyone prepare a nutritious meal? A single egg costs GH₵2.50. How much can you buy with such a budget?” She admitted advising parents against letting their children eat the meals due to quality concerns.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends at least 19 grams of protein daily for growing children aged 4-8, equivalent to two or three eggs. Yet, meals under the school feeding program rarely meet this standard. A caterer, Miriam Onyinah (not her real name), described the challenges she faces. With GH₵360 allocated to feed 300 students daily, she could only afford 40 eggs, rice, and minimal vegetables, leaving no budget for fish, stew, or cooking gas. The resulting meal—a small portion of jollof rice—lacked both nutrition and taste.
Students like 10-year-old Halima Mohammed find the meals inadequate. “It wasn’t sweet, and there was no fish,” she said, adding that the portion size was insufficient. Many children bring food from home or go hungry, underscoring the programme’s failure to fulfill its objectives.
Launched in 2005, the school feeding program aims to provide daily hot meals to basic public school pupils, ensuring they remain in school and focus on learning. However, the GH₵1.20-per-child allocation undermines this goal, leading to widespread dissatisfaction among students, parents, and caterers.
While the government claims to feed over 3.8 million children across 10,000 schools, many pupils receive substandard meals. Nutritionist Akua Asuamah Tawiah advocates increasing the feeding grant, noting that private schools perform better in providing nutritious meals because of higher parental contributions.
As the nation spends GH₵4 million daily on the program, calls for reform grow louder. Without higher allocations and stricter quality controls, the program risks failing Ghana’s children. It is time for an overhaul to ensure these meals nourish the bodies and minds of the next generation, safeguarding their health and academic success.
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