Ghana’s Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection announced Thursday that the government plans to increase school feeding grants from GHS 2 to GHS 5 per child as economic conditions improve.
Dr. Naa Momo Lartey made the announcement during school inspections across Accra, where she assessed food quality and caterer performance at multiple educational facilities. The minister emphasized that current funding remains insufficient but acknowledged government efforts toward sustainable increases.
The 2025 Ghana Budget Statement announced a significant increase in funding for the Ghana School Feeding Programme, raising the daily meal allocation per child from GH¢1.50 to GH¢2.00. Dr. Lartey indicated this represents an interim step toward the ministry’s larger goal.
“Two cedis per child is simply not enough,” Dr. Lartey stated during her visit. She revealed that officials initially sought a ten-cedi allocation but settled on the current amount through negotiations. The minister expressed optimism about reaching five cedis as Ghana’s economy strengthens.
The announcement comes as Ghana continues expanding its school feeding programme, which currently serves approximately 1.7 million children nationwide. The programme targets public primary schools and kindergartens across the country, providing daily meals designed to meet 30 percent of children’s energy requirements.
Dr. Lartey issued stern warnings to underperforming caterers during her inspection visits. She announced that contractors missing more than five days of their 30-day commitments would face financial penalties, emphasizing accountability in programme delivery.
“Caterers who don’t cook won’t get paid,” the minister declared. “Contracts should go to those who are ready and committed.”
Her visit followed recent government announcements that all outstanding debts to programme caterers have been cleared. The minister expressed satisfaction with caterer attendance during the first week of school resumption, noting improved commitment levels.
The inspection tour covered nine schools across two municipalities in Accra. Dr. Lartey visited Field Engineer A and B Basic Schools in Ledzokuku Municipality, along with seven primary schools in the Nungua Kroma area within Krowor Municipality.
Ghana’s school feeding initiative operates as part of the Comprehensive African Agriculture Development Programme, addressing multiple development objectives including education access, agricultural development, and childhood nutrition. The programme has created employment for over 34,000 caterers and cooks, predominantly women supporting their families.
The minister concluded her visit by reassuring students and families about programme reliability. “Our message to the children is simple: tell your siblings that when they come to school, feeding won’t be a problem,” she stated.
Government allocated 1.78 billion cedis to the school feeding programme for 2025, reflecting continued commitment to expanding coverage and improving meal quality across participating schools.
Source: newsghana.com.gh
