Let parents provide food for SHS students, the Coalition argues
The government and the Ministry of Education have been urged by the Ghana National Education Campaign Coalition (GNECC) to permit parents to pay for their children’s school meals.
The coalition claimed in a statement dated Friday, July 21, 2023, that it thought the action would lessen the financial strain on the government and reroute the money into other crucial educational programs.
It emphasized that “the government can ease the burden on the Buffer Stock Company and develop a more sustainable system that would address the current supply chain issues and ensure that funds designated for feeding can be redirected to other urgent educational needs.”
The lobbying comes in response to the difficulties the Buffer Stock Company is currently facing and the continued protests by food suppliers over debts owing to its members for more than two years.
The feeding program in senior high schools (SHSs) is a component of the government’s free SHS policy and aims to give students nourishing meals, advance their general well-being, and improve their capacity for concentration. SHS
Benefits
Despite acknowledging the program’s significance, the coalition claimed that a different strategy was required in light of the recent financing crisis for meals for children and schools.
According to the statement, parents’ participation in the SHS feeding program will increase parents’ and guardians’ feelings of ownership and accountability.
“Parents would have a direct investment in the program, which would encourage transparency and responsibility in resource management.
This strategy would also enable parents to take an active role in their kids’ education and establish in them a culture of fiscal responsibility, the statement continued.
The coalition argues that the money saved from the parental contribution might be used to fund teacher training programs, infrastructure improvements, and the provision of educational resources.
These efforts, it claimed, will have a significant influence on educational quality and support students’ overall development.
Dialogue needed
It also urged the government to initiate productive discussions with key parties, including as parents, educational institutions, and civil society organizations, in order to determine whether and how to adopt parental participation in the SHS feeding program.
It claimed that cooperation was crucial to ensuring that students’ best interests were respected and that educational resources were used effectively and efficiently.
The statement read: “As an organization dedicated to the improvement of education in Ghana, GNECC remains committed to working collaboratively with all stakeholders to advocate for fair access to high-quality education and the general welfare of Ghanaian children.
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