Government to provide meals to JHS pupils

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has instructed the Gender Minister to provide one hot meal to all final year Junior High School (JHS) pupils in schools preparing to write the BECE.

According to him, all 584,000 final year JHS pupils across the country are to receive one hot meal each day.

Staff of the schools are also expected to be provided with the meals daily.

Akufo-Addo announced this during his 15th televised address to the nation broadcast on Sunday, August 16, 2020.

He indicated that, the decision stems from complaints from students about going hungry in an attempt to fully comply with COVID-19 preventive protocols.

“As a result of reports I have received that some final year JHS students are going hungry in complying with COVID-19 protocols, I have just instructed the Minister for Gender and Social Protection to begin preparation to ensure that as from 24th August up to 18th of September, all 584,000 final year JHS students and 146,000 staff both in public and private schools be given one hot meal a day. This is to ensure full observation to COVID-19 safety protocols.”

Akufo-Addo stated further that all continuing students in tertiary institutions that are yet to complete their academic year via online means are to return to school from August 24, 2020.

He added that, the Ministry of Education and other stakeholders are to ensure that the various campuses are disinfected before the arrival of the students.

“Through online learning portals, almost all continuing students in our universities have completed their studies for the academic year with exceptions at the University of Cape Coast, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Technical Universities and colleges. After extensive stakeholder consultations, a decision has been taken that continuing students in these tertiary institutions to return to school 24th of August to finish their academic year.”