MP Drags Minister to Parliament over Lack of School Feeding Programme

The Member of Parliament for Amenfi East, Hon Nicholas Amankwah has dragged the Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection to parliament over the absence of the School Feeding Programme (SFP) in some community schools within the Constituency.

According to him, the absence of the programme is affecting school turn out in the schools and as well breeding child truancy in the constituency.

He said school enrolment in schools where the School Feeding Programme is running has increased over the years, while in communities where there is no school feeding programme, some parents failed to enroll their wards and those who get enrolled also do absent from classrooms due to the lack of feeding.

“Mr. Speaker, I rise to ask the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection when the School Feeding Program would be extended to the under-listed schools in the Amenfi East Municipality: (i) Tamaklo Basic School (ii) Nsuaem Basic School (iii) Sushenso Basic School (iv) Junction Basic School (v) Buraso (vi) Kumasi?”

In response, the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Zuwera Abudu said the Ministry has not budgeted to expand the progrmme and that Parliament would be dully notified when there is an opportunity to expand the programme to more than the number f community schools benefiting from the feeding progrmme.

“Mr. Speaker, please this August House will be duly informed as soon as Government takes a decision to expand to include more schools and once that decision is taken, the schools mentioned by my honourable colleague will be covered,” the sector Minister told parliament.

But Hon Amankwa appealed to the government to seek funds to expand the programme to benefit more schools and children whom we pride as future leaders”.

He noted that the absence of the programme had caused a significant reduction in children enrolment and attendance and appealed to the government to expedite action in expanding the programme to more deprived communities to support parents’ efforts.