Caterers under the Ghana School Feeding Programme who serve substandard meals to pupils risk losing their contracts, warned the Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Dr. Agnes Naa Momo Lartey. Updating Parliament on the programme’s implementation, the Minister emphasized that the Ministry actively investigates all reported cases of poor food quality and rigorously enforces sanctions against those failing to meet established benchmarks.
Dr. Lartey revealed that the Ministry has already taken direct action against non-compliant vendors on multiple occasions. In instances where meals were found to be below standard, caterers were turned away and ordered to replace the food with appropriate, nutritious alternatives.
For repeat offenders who fail to operate within the policy framework and standard operating procedures after a few warnings, the Ministry moves decisively to revoke their contracts. Dr. Lartey stressed that the government will not compromise on the health and safety of schoolchildren, noting that they would rather delay a meal than allow a child to consume something non-nutritious.
To support caterers in meeting these high standards, the government has introduced several financial relief measures and strategic initiatives.
The feeding grant was recently increased from GH¢1.50 to GH¢2.00 per child, and the tax component for caterers was removed to free up operational funds. Furthermore, the Ministry is developing standardized school menu cards to guide food preparation and portion sizes, and has introduced soybean powder as a cost-effective, high-protein supplement to boost the nutritional value of the meals.
To ensure strict compliance and transparency, the government is also leveraging technology and international partnerships.
Collaborating with the World Food Programme and the Korea International Cooperation Agency, the Ministry is piloting “School Connect,” a digital monitoring tool designed to track adherence to approved menus and strengthen overall accountability.
Dr. Lartey expressed firm confidence that this combination of strict enforcement, financial adjustments, and digital monitoring will significantly enhance the quality and nationwide effectiveness of the School Feeding Programme.