The Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection, Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, has disclosed that the Ghana School Feeding Programme currently provides one hot nutritious meal each school day to about 4 million pupils in 12,000 public basic schools across the country.

Addressing Parliament, the Minister said the programme benefits 4,231,059 learners from kindergarten to Primary Six in participating public schools nationwide.

She noted that the government remains committed to sustaining and gradually expanding the programme because of its positive impact on school enrolment, retention and local food production.

“Mr Speaker, the government recognises the importance of the intervention in improving enrolment and retention while supporting food production,” she said.

According to the Minister, government has adopted a long-term policy approach to progressively strengthen and expand the programme within available resources.

However, she indicated that current financial limitations have made it impossible to extend the programme to additional beneficiaries.

“Consequently, there is a long-term policy commitment to progressively strengthen and expand the programme within available resources.

However, the programme did not receive financial clearance for further expansion at this time,” she told Parliament.

The Ghana School Feeding Programme remains one of the government’s flagship social intervention initiatives aimed at improving access to education, reducing hunger among schoolchildren and supporting local agricultural production.