The Child Rights International (CRI), a child-centred organisation, has commended government’s decision to give one hot meal per day to all final year Junior High School (JHS).
President Nana Akufo-Addo announced this during his 15th address to the nation on measures taken against the spread of Covid-19.
CRI described the move as “a laudable idea and a good social intervention programme”.
This was contained in a statement issued and signed by its Executive Director, Mr Bright Appiah.
However, the organisation has asked the government to use the new initiative as a trial or pilot programme to access the feasibility of expanding the programme across board beginning from primary to the senior high school level.
The statement said “there should not be a discontinuation of this programme”, adding that there must be consistency in implementing social intervention programme that would cut across board from primary, JHS, and SHS.
CRI said, the country continued to have policy gaps regarding enrolment and quality education at the primary level and SHS.
The statement said government’s efforts at the JHS were limited in terms of social intervention programme “so this new initiative should be used as a springboard in measuring the extent to which students across board can enjoy”.
Touching on some of the disparities that existed in the education sector with regards to social intervention programme, CRI said students in the JHS had not benefited much as compared to those in primary and SHS.
“At the primary level, students are enjoying capitation grants as well as school feeding programme. At the SHS level and under the Free SHS education, day students enjoy one hot meal while the boarding students get three meals per day. So it is only the JHS where the social intervention programme is limited,” the statement explained.
On private schools, CRI stated it would be needful for the government to extend the social intervention programme to private schools that are running curriculum in line with the government programmes, especially, in deprived areas where the government cannot reach.
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