Gov’t commits new GH¢2bn to School Feeding Programme, reaches 4.5m children

The Ghanaian government has allocated an additional GH¢2 billion to the School Feeding Programme for the year 2026, ensuring that over 4.5 million schoolchildren receive a nutritious meal each day. Dr Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, disclosed that the program now supports 4,527,636 children, a significant increase from 4,029,580 in 2024.

This expansion underscores the government's dedication to enhancing child nutrition, promoting school attendance, and ensuring student retention.

The budget for the feeding program has risen from GH¢1.393 billion in 2024 to an impressive GH¢1.982 billion in 2026. Simultaneously, the feeding grant has been increased from GH¢1.50 to GH¢2 per child. Dr Lartey explained that the increase from GH¢1.50 to GH¢2 per child was implemented to better support the nutritional needs of the children.

In addition to the financial boost, the government has also addressed outstanding arrears to caterers from 2024 and has disbursed the first and second terms of the 2025/26 academic year. Monitoring efforts have expanded from 4,419 schools in 2025 to 8,270 schools this year, and a total of 20,171 caterers and head cooks have been trained in practical nutrition standards.

Dr Lartey emphasized that the government remains committed to maintaining the quality and nutritional value of meals served to children, refusing to compromise on these vital aspects of the program.