Aburi: The Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP) has unveiled a new digital system named 'School Connect' aimed at enhancing the monitoring, transparency, and accountability of school meal deliveries across the nation. This initiative is set to improve the efficiency of the programme by facilitating timely payments to caterers.
According to Ghana News Agency, the pilot project will initially be implemented in over 350 schools and is supported by the World Food Programme (WFP) and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA). The initiative has already received 284 digital devices, including tablets and laptops, to aid in its execution.
During a three-day training session held in Aburi, Eastern Region, Madam Aurore Rusiga, WFP Country Director, emphasized the importance of real-time data systems in strengthening programme delivery. She highlighted that reliable data forms the foundation for effective planning, monitoring, and continuous improvement.
The School Connect platform is designed to enable real-time data collection at the school level, focusing on enrolment, attendance, meals served, and food deliveries. This innovation aims to enhance oversight and decision-making processes, reduce administrative burdens on school staff, and improve the quality and timeliness of reporting.
Madam Rusiga also noted that school feeding is a strategic investment in human capital, supporting local economies through the procurement of food from local farmers and fostering community resilience. The pilot project is expected to provide insights for developing a nationally owned digital system aligned with Ghana's public systems, with continued technical and capacity support from WFP.
Hajia Fati Forgor, National Coordinator of GSFP, expressed that the rollout of this system is long overdue. She referenced a previous digital system introduced in 2019, which had limitations in real-time monitoring and nutrition tracking. The new School Connect system addresses these gaps by integrating nutrition, education outcomes, and local food procurement tracking.
The platform is anticipated to significantly reduce payment delays through instant data transmission and analysis. Hajia Forgor added that it would enable better monitoring of meals served and ensure adherence to approved menus by caterers.
Madam Constance Baah, Head of the Social Protection Unit at the Ministry of Finance, mentioned that past weak monitoring systems led to payment delays and inefficiencies. She stated that the new platform marks a significant shift towards a more transparent, efficient, and accountable system, bolstering budgeting, timely payments, and public financial management.
Mr. Donghyun Lee, KOICA Country Director, confirmed ongoing support for Ghana's digital social protection initiatives, advocating for the role of digital tools in enhancing transparency, efficiency, and decision-making timeliness.
The School Connect platform, developed in 2020 and already operational in over 20 countries, transitions from paper-based systems to digital data collection, analysis, and reporting, promising a more streamlined approach to managing school feeding programmes.