Ghana School Feeding Programme Transitions to Digital Operations

The Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP) is poised for a significant transformation as it transitions from manual to digital operations. The move, announced by Gender Minister Darkoa Newman in Accra on Thursday, is aimed at enhancing transparency, reducing delays, and improving resource allocation within the programme, which has been instrumental in providing nutritious meals to school children across the country.

Speaking at a Minister’s Press Briefing organized by the Information Ministry, Minister Newman outlined the benefits of the new system, which will see prospective caterers applying online and paying a non-refundable fee of GH¢200. This digital shift is expected to streamline the entire process, from caterer selection to data collection and payments, through a newly developed information management system.

“This process is opening it up to every prospective caterer to apply online. They will have to pay GH¢200.00. They’ll create a profile, make payments, then they can work on the form,” Minister Newman explained.

The new information management system will handle multiple aspects of the GSFP, including the caterer selection module, data collection, and payments, ensuring that all processes are conducted online going forward. This change marks a significant step towards modernizing the GSFP and addressing longstanding issues of inefficiency and resource misallocation.

The system will first be piloted in the New Juaben South and Krachi East districts before a nationwide rollout ahead of the 2024/2025 academic year. Minister Newman emphasized the importance of this pilot phase, stating, “Immediately, the pilot starts so that the rolling out of the national process will also start. You will see another publication for all 16 regions this time, not just for the two districts that have been advertised at this point.”

The digital platform is expected to eliminate discrepancies and leakages that have plagued the GSFP in the past, offering a more transparent and efficient system for managing the programme’s operations. However, Minister Newman also issued a caution to potential caterers, stressing the need to meet specific requirements before applying. These include having a minimum of GH¢5,000 in their accounts to demonstrate proof of pre-financing their operations, as well as possessing a valid health certificate.

This technological overhaul of the GSFP represents a major milestone in the programme’s development, with the ultimate goal of ensuring that more children benefit from the school feeding initiative in a fair and transparent manner. The shift to digital operations is expected to enhance the efficiency and accountability of the GSFP, contributing to the broader objective of improving education and nutrition outcomes for children in Ghana.