School Feeding: NAGRAT calls for audit over alleged inflated enrolment figures

The President of the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), Jacob Anaba, has called for an immediate audit of school enrolment figures used to determine allocations under the National School Feeding Programme.

His call follows concerns raised by the National Coordinator of the School Feeding Programme, Hajia Fati Forgor, that some head teachers allegedly inflate pupil enrolment figures to secure higher allocations, potentially depriving genuinely needy schools of adequate support.

Speaking to Accra-based Citi News on Friday, September 25, Mr Anaba said the allegations must be thoroughly investigated to establish the extent of the practice and identify those responsible.

He described the alleged manipulation of enrolment figures as a serious abuse of responsibility that ultimately cheats the state and undermines the programme’s objective.

“If you have been given a position to deliver something to our kids, a critical one at that, and you are inflating the figures, it means that you are cheating the system, the state, and we shouldn’t allow that to pass.”

Mr Anaba called for an audit of the figures to verify the actual number of pupils in beneficiary schools and ensure that allocations are based on accurate data.

“We will call for an audit to show that we can find out those who are doing that and bring them to book.”

According to the NAGRAT President, accurate enrolment data is essential to ensuring that resources under the School Feeding Programme are distributed fairly and reach the pupils who need them.

He also called for greater attention to the nutritional quality of meals served to pupils under the programme.

Mr Anaba said meals provided at schools should contain sufficient nutrients to support the health, concentration and learning of children.

“The food they give to our children in the school should be something that will nourish them, will give them the nourishment that they can be able to sustain in the classroom.”

He stressed that the School Feeding Programme plays an important role in supporting pupils’ participation in school and must therefore be implemented transparently and effectively.

NAGRAT is consequently urging authorities to verify enrolment figures, address any manipulation of data and ensure that resources allocated under the programme reach their intended beneficiaries.