1,113,928 pupils to benefit from School Feeding Programme in 2012

It is estimated that about 1,113,928 pupils across the country are expected to benefit from the Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP) by the end of 2012 after the retargeting project was undertaken last year.

The re-targeting initiative was undertaken to enable schools which were in a deprived state to benefit as some of the initial schools considered for the program did not qualify for the programme.

Mr Siba Alba, Public Relations Officer of GSFP, who disclosed this in an interview with GNA in Accra on Wednesday, noted that before the re-targeting only 713, 631 pupils nationwide benefited from it.

He said low school enrollment, especially among girls, low literacy level, high hunger and vulnerability status, poor access to potable water and high communal spirit for the initiative as some of the criteria used in selecting beneficiary schools.

Mr Alba said the programme formed part of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals on reducing hunger, poverty and malnutrition.

He called on teachers to co-operate with matrons or caterers to ensure that hygienic meals were prepared for the pupils, fill the appropriate sections of the monthly term report of caterers and return them to the District Desk Officer who coordinates the programme in the district for proper monitoring.

“Teachers should ensure that pupils do not spend learning hours washing plates, fetching water for cooking and engaging in other chores. Their only job is to eat and attend classes,” he said.

“It is mandatory for teachers to elect a boy and a girl to serve on the School Implementation Committee (SIC) to contribute their views and provide suggestion in the preparation of the food they eat,” he added.**