THE CONTRIBUTIONS AND BOTTLENECKS OF THE SCHOOL FEEDING PROGRAMME IN GHANA
INTRODUCTION
Background of the Ghana School
Feeding Programme
The Ghana
School Feeding Programme is an initiative of the Comprehensive African
Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) Pillar 3 of the New Partnership for
Africa’s Development (NEPAD), the GSFP is part of Ghana’s efforts towards the
United Nations Millennium Development Goals on hunger, poverty and primary
education. It is wholly consistent with the Growth and Poverty Reduction
Strategy, the Education Sector Plan (2003-2015), Imagine Ghana Free of
Malnutrition, Food and Agriculture Sector Development Policy, National Social
Protection Strategy and Decentralization Policy of Government.
When the Programme Started
The Ghana
School Feeding Programme (GSFP) started in late 2005 with 10 pilot schools,
drawn from each region of the country. By August 2006, it had been expanded to
200 schools covering 69,000 pupils in all 138 districts with a plan to reach a
total of 500 schools and 155,000 children by the end of the year. The plan
proposed will scale up the programme gradually to cover 1.04 million primary
school and kindergarten children in the most deprived communities and schools
of the country by December 2010. Currently, there are about 649,291 school
pupils benefiting from the programme across the country.
How Schools Are Selected To Benefit
from the Programme
The National
Secretariat of the GSFP sends to the District Chief Executives (DCE), the
number of children to be added to the programme in the district. The DCE then
consults the District Director of Education (DDE) in his district and they
select schools in the district whose total enrolment make up the number of
children indicated in the memo from the National Secretariat. During the
selection of beneficiary schools, the DCEs and the DDE are required to take
into consideration schools from deprived areas, low enrolment, attendance and
retention in their districts. The names of the selected beneficiary schools and
their location are forwarded to the National Secretariat for inclusion in the
GSFP for the district.
How the Programme Is Funded
The main
sources of funding for the GSFP are the Government of Ghana and the Dutch
Government. Other international donors and non-governmental agencies such as
the World Food Programme, Catholic Relief Services, and School feeding
Initiative Ghana Netherland (SIGN), World Vision, and SNV have shown interest
in collaborating with the GSFP.
Objectives
The
short term objectives of GSFP are among others:
·
Reducing hunger and
malnutrition.
·
Improving enrolment, attendance, & retention.
·
Boost domestic food production by
sourcing GSFP meals locally, and providing a sustainable market for local food
producers in the community. The long term objectives of the GSFP are:
·
poverty reduction and
·
Food security in Ghana.
The GSFP initiative is focused on providing children in
public pre- school and primary schools in the poorest areas with one hot,
adequate and nutritious meal per day.
CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE SCHOOL FEEDING
PROGRAMME IN GHANA
Improved Health
Conditions
To ensure that all beneficiary schools have
access to safe drinking water, the GSFP provides polytanks and other sanitation
facilities. School children are also de-wormed occasionally to protect them
against worm infestation. In 2007, there was a nationwide deworming exercise in
all public basic schools which impacted on all GSFP beneficiary schools. The
proportion of schools with portable water now stands at sixty five percent and
the proportion of schools with polytanks increased from fifty percent in 2007
to seventy five percent in 2008 while the proportion of schools with sanitation
and toilet facilities also pumped from fifty percent to seventy five percent
during the same period. The health condition of
many Ghanaians before the introduction of this policy was nothing good to talk
about. A greater proportion of pupils absented themselves from school because
they had fallen ill. Reports from a number of hospitals showed that most of the
illness the pupils suffered was nutrition related. This figure has dropped
significantly since the introduction of the GSFP. The GSFP has gone a long way
to improve the health conditions of the pupils in public schools, many whose
guardians fall within the low income bracket and as such may not exactly be able
to afford a three square meal. The children can now get at least one nutritious
and well balanced meal in a day and this would ultimately make them healthy.
An Increase
in Enrollment and Attendance
The GSFP initiative has led to an
increase in enrollment and attendance of both kindergarten and primary school
children within public schools in Ghana. On 12 June, 2008 a twelve year old
Kareem Ahmal who is based in Accra said, ‘I used to stay at home because my
mother could not give me any pocket money and there was no food at home in the
morning but now I want to go to school to get food’. It is noted from what
Ahmal said that due to the establishment of the programme, most pupils prefer
coming to school to be fed than staying at home to be hungry and this has
attributed immensely to the increase in the enrollment and attendance in
schools. It is important to note that, the increase has occurred more in rural
areas, which clearly shows that if the programme continues to target especially
the pro-poor schools, districts and communities, level of education will
significantly increase in these communities and eventually, the country at
large.
As at May 2008, 477,714 pupils in
987 schools across Ghana were benefiting from the programme and according to
the Local Government Ministry, there has been an average of 40 percent increase
in primary school enrollment since the programme was introduced. On 27th May,
2008, an independent school feeding monitoring report released by a local
non-governmental organization, the Social Enterprise Development Foundation of
West Africa (SEND Foundation) said that enrollment in 14 selected schools
nationwide increased by twenty-one percent between the 2005/2006 and 2006/2007
academic years.
The
review of the GSFP pilot phase conducted in May/June 2006 also found that in
just over six months of implementation, enrollment in pilot schools had risen
by 20.3% compared to 2.85% in non-GSFP schools in the same districts. Equally,
attendance was up by 39.9%, 5% and 13% in three pilot schools compared to 9%,
0.5% and -19% in non-GSFP schools in the same districts.
Reduction in Hunger and Malnutrition
The GSFP has
greatly helped to reduce hunger among pupils of public schools especially in
the rural areas. Most of the people in the less developed areas of the country
are in abject poverty and so satisfying them with food becomes a problem. They
live on empty stomach, making them weak and inefficient. As a result, their
hunger is extended to their children who are then deprived of food. Learning on
an empty stomach is just like fetching water with a basket. The GSFP as a
matter of fact has helped to curb this situation by providing the young ones
with food to satisfy their hunger making them strong and fit for studies. Providing
a meal at school is a simple but concrete way to give poor children a chance to
learn, but on empty stomach they become easily distracted and have problems
concentrating on their schoolwork. They become better students when their
bodies are well nourished and healthy. Ghana’s Deputy Local Government Minister,
Maxwell Kofi Juma even attests to the fact that the programme has contributed
significantly to reducing hunger and malnutrition among children.
Also, since most people in the rural areas
have a low standard of living, they cannot afford nutritious food thus ending
up malnourished. Sometimes they eat alright but the necessary amount of nutrients
needed for growth and development may be lacking. Hence, the programme also
seeks to provide these kids with nutritious food. For instance, in the three
northern regions, there are Community Food Management Committee (CFMC) in each
programme school to oversee the provision of nutritious foods, hence reducing
malnutrition.
Improved
Pupil Performance
The GSFP helps
to improve pupils’ academic performance both in the short term and in the long
term. There is a saying which goes that a sound mind lives in a sound body.
This saying portrays the fact that, to have a sound mind to study, there is the
need to have a sound body. This can be achieved by making sure that one has all
the basic necessities of life, one of which is a daily nutritious meal. With
the introduction of the GSFP, pupils have the reliefs of knowing that they
would have one meal a day and this would help them relax for academic work.
Also, science attests to the fact that the brain needs energy to function and
one way of getting this energy is by eating good food. The provision of food by
GSFP helps pupils to concentrate in class and this solves the problem seen
among most pupils where they come to school and sleep during classes or have
headaches just because they are hungry. With the introduction of the GSFP,
pupils’ academic performance has increased and this tremendous increase in
academic performance has in a way reflected in the standard of living of the
communities in which these pupils live in and the nation at large.
Decreased
Drop-Out Rates / Increased Retention
Rates
The
program attracts pupils by providing food for them on daily basis which
encourages them to come to school since no or less food will be provided for
them at home hence leading to increase in retention at school. The more they
come to school the more they are willing to learn leading to increase in human development
and this would lead to the generation of ideas and innovation for the
development of the entire nation. There would also be a reduction of social
vices like armed robbery, prostitution, etc. Also, food being served to pupils on
daily basis will reduce the financial burden on their parents and the income
that parents use as pocket money for their wards can now be used for other
productive activities.
BOTTLENECKS OF THE SCHOOL FEEDING PROGRMME IN GHANA
Financial Challenges
The
GSFP critically and immensely faces the challenge of finance. Government lacks
the financial power to fully and efficiently implement the programme throughout
the entire rural areas in the country. Funding for the programme has been
earmarked in the National budget but these funds are insufficient to run
the programme at the desired scale of a minimum of 1 million school children.
The amount of money required by the programme was not approved when the
government laid its budget for the year. Out of the GH₵63 million required,
only GH₵17 million was approved by the government. One nutritious meal a day is
estimated to cost GH₵100.00 per year per child. Official Development Assistance
(ODA) is therefore indispensable in enabling the programme to be run. This is
where the Dutch government comes in, in order to play a supportive role in the
programme.
The
reduction of the government funding makes it desperate to explore foreign funding
seriously. Even when government gets money to fund the programme this year,
what of the subsequent years? It is reported by media and management of the
programme that the GSFP faces the threat of collapsing if we as a country do
not provide a meaningful and sustainable source of funding to run the programme
that has brought a major breakthrough in basic education in Ghana. Originally,
government had aids and grants from the Dutch government but as noted by the
overseers of the programme, the mismanagement of these aids and grants saw our
benefactor, the Dutch government packing their tools and leaving us to our
fate. This also deepened the already intense financial hurdles we had.
Lack of Infrastructural Facilities
According
to report entitled “Challenges of Institutional Collaboration” which was
conducted and commissioned by SEND Ghana, a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO)
disclosed that about 61% of beneficiary schools of the programme did not have
good kitchen structures,
while about 78% of schools did not have adequate stock of kitchenware especially plates and cups. As a result pupils were required to eat in turns such that one cluster was served after the other has finished using the same plates and cups. This coping strategy unduly prolonged lunch breaks in the affected beneficiary schools, thus reducing contact/instructional hours with negative effect on education.
while about 78% of schools did not have adequate stock of kitchenware especially plates and cups. As a result pupils were required to eat in turns such that one cluster was served after the other has finished using the same plates and cups. This coping strategy unduly prolonged lunch breaks in the affected beneficiary schools, thus reducing contact/instructional hours with negative effect on education.
A
study was conducted which covered a total of 21 districts purposively selected
from the Upper West, Upper East, Northern and Greater Accra Regions based on
the active presence of SEND Ghana in those districts. Indeed, the operational
districts of SEND Ghana are among those with the highest poverty incidence in
Ghana and as such, by extension, it could be said that the selection of the 21
districts for the study was based on their high levels of poverty. From the
study it was revealed that among the 21 districts selected, 83% of schools were
provided with water tanks, and about 37% of the tanks supplied were not in use
due to operational challenges.
In
some cases, the water tanks supplied have not been used for the past two years
due to their inability to connect the tanks to water sources. In other cases,
the lack of use of water tanks has resulted from the poor access of some
schools to a water source. Such cases are indicative of the cost associated
with the formulation of national plans without the inclusion of the views of
the various School Implementation Committees (SICs) to reflect local realities.
Furthermore, about 43% of beneficiary schools did not have access to safe water. This compelled pupils to take time off to trek for water to support the feeding programme.
Furthermore, about 43% of beneficiary schools did not have access to safe water. This compelled pupils to take time off to trek for water to support the feeding programme.
Again
nearly 26% of beneficiary schools have no access to toilet facilities with
about 35% lacking urinal facilities. To add to the above, almost 87% of
beneficiary schools lacked hand-washing facilities. This is serious given the
health implications of the intake of fecal matter associated with poor
sanitation and eating with unclean hands.
Poor Administration
The
GSFP would have been better off if the administration was good. Good management
which includes planning, controlling, organizing and so on, would have
attributed to the success of the programme. Wastage would be reduced in terms
of good planning and good nutritious food would be prepared in terms of good
supervision. On the contrary, poor administration has been a huge challenge to
the GSFP. Resources are misappropriated. People who are in charge of managing
the programme act like it’s nobody’s business. They are not dedicated to the
work and thus do not put their maximum quota for the progress of the programme.
For instance, the audit result corroborated by the SEND foundation further
asserted that a 58% of districts involved did not use laid down procedures when
awarding contracts for the programme. Also, the first executive director Dr.
Kwame Amoako Tuffour was removed from office two years ago. His removal
followed an Auditor General’s report that sited gross mismanagement and
misappropriation in the operations of the programme. Also the National
Coordinator of the programme Sulemana Abdul –Rahamana had been dismissed after
six months in office for the alleged act of misappropriation. The source said
that Mr. Abdul was accused of impropriety, a conduct that had incurred the
displeasure of the Dutch government and other co-founders of the programme. He
was running the programme without recourse to laid down rules and regulations
governing the operations of the programme. It said that if management was taken
over by more promising committees, the programme would have been a success.
Political Influence
Most governments implement the programme in
areas not specified in the document defeat for their own political benefit. The
civil society organization has urged the government as a matter of urgency to
strike out all schools in areas such as Accra and Kumasi which are not hunger
stricken. The GSFP faces political interference such that most governments
concentrate on their regions to provide the pupils with adequate meals while
leaving the actually poverty stricken communities. For instance, speaking in an
interview with the ‘Enquirer’ during the civil society platform of GSFP, held
in Tamale dubbed “October Fair 2010”, the country director of SEND Ghana, Samuel
Lan Akologo who lauded the school feeding programme pointed out that the
programme could not achieve its intended purpose until legislation is
formulated to back it. He also faulted the government for including schools in
Accra and Kumasi for political expediency by explaining that, the GSFP was
designed for hunger spot and deprived areas and should be implemented as such
devoid of political mischief. To help solve this problem, government should
formulate legislations to back the programme to make it a national policy in
order to reduce political interference in the implementation process.
Corruption
Corruption in the
nation’s affairs has been a big problem and the GSFP is no exception. This act
of corruption in the programme stems from top to bottom. As a result of this,
the Dutch government withdrew its support for the programme and demanded good
governance before restoring its support. Most officials misuse the resources
under the program to suit their own personal gain. The audit commission by the
Dutch government that was undertaken earlier this year by the international accountancy
firm, Price Waterhouse Coopers, found that after two years of implementation,
there was a wide spread of corruption at the program secretariat. The Member of
Parliament for Asokwa in the Ashanti region, Kofi Jumah, says he has uncovered
dubious corrupt practices by the regional coordinator of the school feeding
programme. According to Kofi Jumah, Ophelia Bosiako, the coordinator, in
collusion with a syndicate, buys expired products at low prices and resells
them at higher prices to the caterers for profit.
Focus On Well-Endowed Centers
Although
the concept of the National school feeding programme (NSFP) is to target rural
and deprived poor communities, it is regrettable to note that its
implementation has been tilted in favour of urban communities. That is, most of
the beneficiary schools are in the urban centers where the standard of living
is relatively high at the expense of their rural counterparts.
Available
statistics indicates that while the Sekondi-Takoradi metropolitan Assembly
(STMA) boast of 26 schools with 10,958 pupils that are covered by the
programme, Prestea-Huni Valley District has 5 schools with 1,431 pupils, Bia
District has 6 schools with 3,338 pupils. This condition is definitely not the
best for the successful attainment of the programme.
Poor Collaboration
There
are laid down policies which need to be adhered to in implementing the
programme. The stakeholders of the programme always need to work in hand with
those on the ground. Since the implementation of the programme, stakeholders
always complain of different things being done by those who are implementing
the policy. Thus, this led to most of the stakeholders drawing back in
supporting the programme.
There
is lack of collaboration between internal and external stakeholders and the
differences between its formal representation and the underlying process.
Internal stakeholders are the partners and developing countries and external
stakeholders are international development organization. As a result of this,
there’s a gap between the former underlying process and this is inherent in the
relationship between the stakeholders. Country director of SEND foundation,
Samuel Akologo, said the implementing structures of the School Feeding Programme
have broken down because of lack of understanding at the local government level
of the programmes’ guideline and objective. There is therefore the need for
closer collaboration as well as a clear delineation of roles and functions
among all stakeholders.
Unwholesome Food and Its Associated Problems
There
has also been the problem of unwholesome food being served to the pupils and
other associated health problems. In a recent report, the Committee for Joint Action
(CJA) complained of incompetence in the handling of the programme citing graft
and unwholesome food production. On one occasion, about eleven children were
rushed to the hospital after one of them collapsed on eating food served him at
school. Investigation revealed that the food that was served was prepared with
ingredients that had gone bad and further more the food had not been properly
prepared. However laudable this project is, the country will be better off
without it if it is only going to cost these children their lives as a result
of unwholesome food being served them.
CONCLUSION
REFERENCES
www.allafrica.com
www.myjoyonline.com
www.ghanaweb.com
www.theghanaianjournal.com
Myjoyonline
news, Thursday 16, December 2010, 8:30 GMT
Ghanaian
Times, Thursday 2, December 2010, By Lawrence Markwei
Story by Mahama
Shaibu/myjoyonline.com/Ghana story from myjoyonline.com news: published: 9/4/2009
Story by Nathan
Gadugah/myjoyonline.com/Ghana
Ghana News Agency (GNA)
Daily Graphic - Education | Wed, 16 Sep 2009
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