Sissala West school children miss out on hot meals as school feeding delays stir frustration

Schoolchildren in the Sissala West District have gone without the promised one hot meal a day since the last academic year, despite the continuation of the national school feeding programme in neighbouring districts.

The halt has left parents and teachers worried, with many pleading with authorities to resolve the impasse and resume cooking for the children. Some residents linked the suspension to disagreements over the selection of caterers, but officials have denied this claim.

Madam Prisca Domenyevi Kuupol, Upper West Regional School Feeding Programme Coordinator, told the Ghana News Agency that her office was yet to receive the list of caterers from the District Chief Executive (DCE) through the Regional Minister. This delay, she explained, had excluded Sissala West pupils from the programme, though she expressed hope it would restart once caterers were confirmed.

Pupils interviewed by the GNA expressed frustration. Ms Inusah Farida, a class four pupil at Silbelle Basic School, appealed to authorities to “fast-track resolving the unfortunate issue.” Master Issifu Sadat from Bouti Basic School said he was surprised that children in the neighbouring Sissala East Municipality continued to enjoy the meals while they were left out. Others said hunger during lessons often left them dizzy and could push some pupils to drop out.

A teacher at Bouti Basic School, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the absence of meals had reduced enrolment and increased absenteeism, with some children skipping classes to search for food. A concerned parent added that pupils leaving school during breaks risk straying into dangerous areas such as rivers and bushes.

Sissala West DCE, Mr Fuseini Gbene, acknowledged the concerns and assured that cooking would resume on Monday, September 29, 2025. However, he could not confirm whether pupils would be compensated for the missed meals.