The National Coordinator of the Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP), Mrs Gertrude Quashigah, yesterday paid an unannounced visit to some public basic schools in the Greater Accra Region, to assess the performance of caterers.
She was accompanied by the Greater Accra Regional Coordinator of GSFP, Madam Christiana Nkansah, and staff of the national secretariat of GSFP.
Schools visited, included Nungua Presby Primary ‘A’, Nungua LEKMA ‘5’ and ‘6’ Basic Schools, St. Peter’s Anglican ‘A’ and ‘B’ Primary and Kindergarten and Krowor Central KG.
In an interview with journalists after the tour, Mrs Quashigah said she was generally impressed with the food prepared by the caterers in the schools she visited.
She entered the classrooms and interacted with school children to seek their concerns on meals served them and the general performance of the caterers.
Mrs Quashigah said that the GSFP would initiate programmes to empower the caterers nationwide.
She noted that the secretariat would continue to train the caterers and cooks to ensure that food prepared for the pupils is balanced and nutritious.
Mrs Quashigah asked the caterers to strictly abide by the GSFP handy measures in order to ensure that the children are served with the right quality and quantity of meals.
“Caterers who fail to go by our handy measures and are feeding the children with poor quality meals would be sanctioned,” she cautioned.
Mrs Quashigah appealed to District Assemblies and opinion leaders in communities to support the GSFP, by building kitchens for beneficiary schools.
She said government was committed to increasing grant for children under the GSFP, and commended the government for releasing GSFP funds to settle the first term arrears of 2021 academic year.
Ms Quashigah lauded the decision of some of the schools to introduce “Fruits Day,” and prayed for its early implementation.
The headmistress of St. Peters Anglican A and B Primary, Ms Emefa Amoo, said that her school was set to introduce “Fruits Day” to provide school children with fruits regularly.
BY KINGSLEY ASARE
