The Ministry of Education has initiated a comprehensive nationwide visitation and monitoring exercise to investigate the quality and quantity of food that are served students under the Free Senior High School initiative.
This follows trailer of a yet to be aired documentary by Accra-based JoyNews’ titled “Empty Plates” which claims that many students in SHSs across the country are being served insufficient and poor meals.
In response to the documentary trailer, the Ministry of Education in a statement signed by its Public Relations Officer, Kwesi Kwarteng, dated Monday March 4, 2024, said per the Ministry’s comprehensive investigations, students in SHSs are fed well with quality meals.
“Schools visited and reports from other schools indicated the maintenance of an adequate stock of food in their storage facilities. There is prompt and up-to-date payment of funds allocated for the purchase of perishable food items to all schools.
“Feedback from heads of schools and students indicates overall satisfaction with the quality and quantity of food being served,” he said.
Mr Kwarteng gave assurance to parents, students, and the general public of its “unwavering commitment to providing adequate, high-quality, and timely food supplies to ensure an enhanced free and quality Senior High School program.”
Reacting to the Ministry’s statement, a Professor of Educational Leadership at the University of Cape Coast, George Teku Oduro, advised the Ministry to acknowledge feedback on the Free SHS policy constructively and work towards resolving challenges.
“The implementation of the policy has created this problem that we are encountering. And the mode of supplying food items to the school has also created a challenge. So in reality, the challenge is there,” he stated.
