Deputy Minister of Education, Dr. Clement Apaak, has reiterated the government’s firm commitment to the decentralised school feeding system for Senior High Schools (SHS), amid public confusion over recent remarks by Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu suggesting a possible return to centralised procurement.
Clarifying the policy direction on the Citi Breakfast Show on Friday, June 27, 2025, Dr. Apaak emphasised that no reversal is being considered, and that school heads retain full control over the procurement of food items for students.
“Currently, the managers of the schools have been given the authority to procure 100% of the feeding needs of the students. That includes perishables and non-perishables,” he confirmed.
The decentralised system, introduced to improve efficiency, accountability, and timely food delivery, allows school administrators to procure from a list of 18 approved food items based on local market dynamics.
However, Dr. Apaak acknowledged growing concerns about alleged mismanagement of feeding funds by some school heads. He explained that Minister Iddrisu’s remarks were not indicative of a policy shift but rather a response to credible reports — including a video reportedly shared by President John Dramani Mahama — which revealed irregularities in how some schools were utilising their feeding budgets.
“The only reason why the minister made that statement is because we have picked up credible evidence that some managers are not applying the resources satisfactorily,” he said.
The deputy minister stressed that while the decentralised model will remain, government will now place greater emphasis on monitoring and evaluation to ensure school heads are held accountable for every cedi spent.
“We will not reverse the policy. Instead, we are introducing stricter accountability frameworks to safeguard the quality and integrity of meals served to our students,” Dr. Apaak assured.
His comments come at a time when public discourse over the SHS feeding policy has intensified, with civil society organisations and education stakeholders urging transparency and efficiency in its implementation.
For now, the Ministry of Education appears determined to retain the decentralised framework, but will match it with robust oversight mechanisms to address emerging challenges and ensure value for money.
