School Feeding Programme To Be Evaluated

The Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP) is to go through an impact evaluation project to measure success chalked so far, Hon. Ahmed Mohammed Baba Jamal, Deputy Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, has stated. He said by the end of 2009, the GSFP had progressively grown to serve 1,695 public schools with 656,624 pupils across the country about 1.7 million primary school children in all the 216 districts in Ghana. According to to hon. Baba Jamal, despite the laudable initiative of the School Feeding Programme and the numerous successes it has achieved over the years, it was realized that there is no scientific evidence to back its achievements. He noted therefore that the impact evaluation project is timely and appropriate more than ever before since the GSFP has become a major factor in school enrollment. Hon. Baba Jamal was speaking at a day�s Impact Evaluation Sensitization Workshop on the GSFP organized by the Partnership for Child Development (PCD) and the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development for eight districts. The eight pilot districts are Ga South, Ledzokuku-Krowor Municipal Assembly (LEKMA), Akuapem North, Kwaku North, Birim North, Upper Manya Krobo and Awutu Senya Municipal. The workshop was to sensitize and empower participants with impact evaluation tools necessary to track the districts towards the success of the GSFP. �It was therefore welcoming news when PCD expressed their intention to undertake an impact evaluation study of the GSFP to come up with scientific evidence on the real impact of the programme as well as recommendations that would help to enhance the delivery of the programme,� he said. He said with the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development providing oversight role, the GSFP continues to enjoy collaborative support from the ministries of Education, Health and Agriculture, among others, as well as technical support from carious development partners including the PCD. He further urged participants to give of their best and ensure that the evaluation project achieves its goals and successes. �It is my hope that you would all take this programme serious, give out your best, and most importantly, go back to your various districts to champion the implementation,� he added. Seidu Adamu, National Coordinator of the GSFP, on his part, noted for instance that the re-targeting of the programme undertook some years ago really made an impact since it helped in the prioritization of the programme.