Ghana’s School Feeding Programme Plagued by Irregularities: Eduwatch Calls for Digital Solution

Africa Education Watch (Eduwatch) has proposed a digital monitoring system to enhance transparency and accountability within the Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP), citing ongoing challenges such as enrolment padding, poor food quality, and wrongful payments. The organisation believes that weak oversight mechanisms are to blame for these issues and that digital tools can help track meal distribution, verify attendance, and ensure caterers comply with GSFP guidelines.

The Challenges

The GSFP has been plagued by irregularities, including wrongful payments exceeding GHC 2.5 million to non-contracted caterers or as excess funds that remain unrecovered, as uncovered by the Auditor-General in 2023. Eduwatch argues that a digital monitoring system would help prevent such abuses and ensure that the programme achieves its objectives.

The Proposed Solution

Eduwatch advocates for a participatory monitoring system that would involve District Assembly officials, school heads, civil society groups, and School Management Committees (SMCs) or Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs) to improve oversight. This system would work in conjunction with digital tools to track meal distribution and verify attendance, providing a more comprehensive and transparent approach to monitoring the programme.

Digitalisation Efforts

The GSFP has already taken steps towards digitisation, partnering with Virtual Solutions to streamline operations and receiving support from the World Food Programme (WFP) to implement digital tracking in pilot schools. Eduwatch believes that incorporating participatory monitoring will further strengthen the system and improve service delivery.

Reforms Called For

Eduwatch is calling for several reforms, including decentralizing caterer procurement, recovering misused funds, and aligning programme coverage with poverty levels. The organisation urges the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection to collaborate with the Ministry of Local Government and the Audit Service to ensure proper implementation and monitoring of the programme.

The Importance of Transparency and Accountability

The GSFP plays a critical role in providing meals to schoolchildren, but the programme’s effectiveness is undermined by weak oversight mechanisms and irregularities. Eduwatch’s proposal for a digital monitoring system highlights the importance of transparency and accountability in ensuring that the programme achieves its objectives and benefits the intended beneficiaries.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Eduwatch’s proposal for a digital monitoring system offers a potential solution to the challenges facing the GSFP. By leveraging digital tools and participatory monitoring, the programme can improve transparency, accountability, and service delivery. The government must take seriously the need for reform and work towards implementing a more robust and effective monitoring system to ensure the success of the GSFP.

Source: Africa Publicity