Parliament’s Select Committee on Gender, together with the Ministry of Gender and the School Feeding Secretariat, has embarked on nationwide monitoring of the School Feeding Programme to assess progress and ensure that ongoing reforms deliver improved food quality and better educational outcomes for children.
Speaking during a field visit on Thursday, December 11, 2025, the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Dr. Agness Naa Momo Lartey, emphasised that effective oversight cannot be carried out solely from offices or through reports submitted by implementing agencies.
She stressed the need for regular on-site validation to better understand emerging challenges and the practical impact of the programme on schools and pupils.
“We cannot sit in our offices or in Parliament and assume everything is going well,” she said. “We must come to the field, verify the reports we receive, and identify issues firsthand. This is the only way to ensure the President’s vision for improved education is realised.”
The team visited Ayimensah Basic School and Peduase Methodist Basic School to inspect programme activities and interact with teachers and pupils.
According to officials, preliminary observations show encouraging progress, with committee members demonstrating strong commitment to achieving the objectives set by President John Dramani Mahama.
Following the field tour, the committee is expected to convene a meeting to compile a detailed report for the Ministry, highlighting key findings and recommendations.
These insights will guide necessary adjustments to the programme ahead of its full rollout next year.
As part of the broader enhancement strategy, the committee also plans to engage additional stakeholders, including national and regional coordinators, Municipal Chief Executives, institutional heads, chairpersons, and other technical officers.
One of the major priorities of the programme is ensuring that schoolchildren receive nutritious meals alongside proper feeding and hygiene education.
Officials noted that, beyond the provision of food, the initiative aims to teach pupils essential table manners and integrate relevant lessons into the school curriculum.
Monitoring structures at the national, regional, zonal, and district levels have also been strengthened to maintain quality and ensure consistency across the country.
“The consistent monitoring has significantly improved standards,” the Minister said. “Where challenges exist, we will document them and address them accordingly.”
Members of Parliament participating in the exercise will continue their legislative duties but will now do so with firsthand knowledge of the programme, ensuring that parliamentary deliberations reflect realities on the ground.
The committee reaffirmed its commitment to delivering quality service and ensuring that all recommendations from the monitoring exercise feed into the final implementation plan.
Additionally, the Attorney-General, Dr. Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, reiterated President Mahama’s commitment to strengthening the School Feeding Programme to support the healthy growth and development of pupils.
He encouraged students to make the most of this opportunity to become successful individuals in the future.
The Headmaster of Peduase Methodist Basic School, Joel Okai Darko, commended the President and the Gender Minister for including the school in the programme, noting that it will significantly improve pupil enrolment.
The visit brought together several key personalities, including the Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Hon. Ablah Dzifa Gomashie; Deputy Local Government Minister, Hon. Rita Naa Odoley Sowah; MP for Ada, Comfort Doyoe Cudjoe-Ghansah; Minister of Justice, Dr. Dominic Ayine, among others.
Source: myxyzonline.com
