Editorial
Cultivate habit of farming to supplement school feeding
There is no doubt that the recent holidays that Ghanaians enjoyed because of the Eid ul Fitr festival provided them with a welcome opportunity to relax as the weekend ended to Tuesday.
Despite that, some were extremely happy because for many parents whose wards attend private schools, it was a welcome break from having to pay the school feeding fee for at least two days.
This was the basis for some parents’ praise of the extra holiday that was added to the Eid ul Fitr celebrations in addition to the weekend.
Our reporter’s interviews showed that many parents, particularly those with two or three children, now find it extremely difficult to pay the school feeding fee despite their desire to let their children be in private schools.
Such parents with lower incomes have embraced holidays because according to the Head of a school some parents always approach school officials when a holiday is approaching, knowing that there will be a day without the dreaded meal cost.
Although most schools do not require children to buy school food at all cost and allow them to bring food from home, it has become common for these children to refuse to eat food prepared by parents.
Although it appears that parents are satisfied with the services provided to their children, they continue to complain about the high cost, which they believe is excessive and relate it to the high price of food.
According to the Spectator’s checks with certain parents and schools children are charged between GH¢15 and GH¢20 each day for the food that is supplied to them.
In addition to school tuition, books, food, and snacks, a mother of three finds it outrageous to spend GH¢60 a day for a feeding cost, which adds up to GH¢300 a week.
It was obvious that she was really satisfied about the recent holidays as she saved a total of GH¢120 Ghana.
A caterer told The Spectator that, aside from the difficulty they face in creating a budget that works for schools, they cannot be held responsible for the rise in the cost of the meals served to schoolchildren because of the high cost of food items on the market.
To ease their burden, The Spectator is urging schools to grant parents with two children or more a discount. Single parents have even expressed that it is difficult to pay Gh¢150 every week.
Additionally, schools should cultivate some area for farming activities in order to support the feeding of schoolchildren. Then, they can use the produce to complement the children’s meals.
Getting the children involved will help them develop the agricultural habit so they may carry that enthusiasm into their future endeavours.
Purchasing food in bulk is one strategy that caterers might use to lower the feeding charge in addition to cultivating a habit of farming to supplement school feeding.
Dear Editor,
It is often said that a healthy nation is a wealthy nation. However, this saying becomes worrying when the health of citizens is threatened by the conditions under which the food they consume daily is sold.
In Ghana, the conditions under which food is sold is quite disturbing. Over the years, I have observed that the environments where food is prepared and sold are often unhygienic.
In many cases, containers holding food such as rice and waakye are left uncovered or not properly covered, exposing them to contamination.
While many Ghanaians paid little attention in the past to the conditions under which food was sold, the narrative seems to be changing in recent years.
I recall an incident during my days in Senior High School (S.H.S.) when my friends and I went out to buy food. At one location, some of us chose not to buy because we assumed the food would be expensive due to how neat the place looked.
Unfortunately, we ended up purchasing food from a different place that was somewhat unhygienic. We overlooked the poor conditions because we believed the quantity offered was better than at the cleaner location.
However, I am certain that my friends and I would not repeat such a mistake today, as we now understand the health implications of that decision.
While public education is important in addressing this issue, I believe it is time for regulatory and law enforcement agencies, such as the Food and Drug Authority (FDA), to crack the whip on food sellers and vendors who operate in unhygienic environments and conditions.
As citizens, we must also be mindful of where we buy our food to protect ourselves and our families from diseases and illnesses. We should choose ‘quality’ over ‘quantity’ and prioritize our health.
From Syram
Oyarifa
Dear Editor,
I write to express concern and call for improved security measures before and after every football match.
The recent robbery attack that led to the tragic death of a player, on their return from a Match day 29 game against Samartex, is both shocking and heartbreaking.
The incident, which reportedly occurred around 10:30 p.m., highlights the growing risks faced by players and team officials while traveling.
Football is meant to unite and entertain, not to expose lives to danger. It is therefore imperative that authorities, the Ghana Football Association, and security agencies put in place adequate protection for teams, especially during late-night travels.
I strongly urge all stakeholders to treat this matter with urgency to prevent such unfortunate incidents from recurring.
From Eugene Ampiaw
Accra
