School feeding Caterers in the Kadjebi District of the Oti Region are still at post cooking for pupils since school resumed on April 3, despite strike action embarked upon by their colleagues in other parts of the country. A visit by the Ghana News Agency (GNA) to Kadjebi E.P Primary school, Kadjebi D/A ‘A’ Primary and Okanta D/A Primary School on Wednesday, May 9 and May 10 saw Caterers at post busily preparing food for the pupils. At Kadjebi E.P Primary School, Miss Kafui Wormade, a Caterer told GNA that they were preparing food for the pupils since April 3 and that on the previous day, Tuesday, they prepared Banku and Wednesday, May 9; the pupils would be fed with Rice. Mr Andrews Duedu, an Assistant Headteacher of the school confirmed this when contacted by GNA. He said about 500 pupils from Kindergarten to Primary six are benefiting from the programme. Mr Duedu said they were surprised when they saw the Caterers at post cooking for the pupils when they heard on the news that their colleagues in other parts of the country are on strike. He praised them for the good work they were doing for Mother Ghana. At Kadjebi D/A ‘A’ Primary School although GNA met no Caterers as at the time of visit at 8:45am, they saw cooking utensils at the kitchen indicating that the workers were present. Mr Emmanuel Kofi Kafui Hodzor, the Headteacher of the school told GNA that the Caterers were at post since school resumed and that 430 pupils were benefiting from the programme. When GNA visited Okanta D/A Primary School on Wednesday, May 10, at 7:09am, Madam Mariam Tahiru, a Caterer in-charge of the School Feeding in the school was seen chopping Kontomire and when asked, she said they would be preparing Rice and Kontomire stew for the pupils. She said they have been preparing food for the pupils since school resumed and appealed to the government to pay them their 8 months arrears to enable settle their creditors. Madam Tahiru added that they were not paid for two terms and that is making life unbearable for them as creditors are on their necks for payment of monies owed them. Miss Dorothy Ntem, a class two pupils of the school told GNA that they were fed with Waakye the previous day and that today they would be served with Rice. Mr Francis Kantangu, an Assistant Headteacher of the school told GNA that the Caterers had been at post since school resumed and that 238 pupils are benefiting from the programme in the school. The School Feeding Programme, which started in 2005, aimed at increasing school enrollment and encouraged punctuality among pupils as well as enabling them to concentrate in class. School Feeding Caterers in some parts of the country are currently on strike over delay in the payment of feeding grants for two terms and call for increment of the grant from GH?0.97 per child to Three Ghana Cedis (GH?3.00) per child, but government is yet to heed their demand.
Source: Ghana News Agency
