The National Monitoring and Evaluations Deputy Director of the School Feeding Program, Miriam Ninepence, has hinted caterers who fail to discharge their duties will have their contracts terminated.
According to her, there are caterers who are blatantly breaching the terms and conditions of the contracts they agreed to.
Madam Ninepence disclosed this in an exclusive interview with Adom News’ Northern Regional correspondent, Illiasu Abdul Rauf.
She said there was no reason whatsoever to keep paying the cooks or any caterer who absents herself for 15 days or more.
She added that giving students nutritious food and serving them on time is imperative and will not be compromised.
Mrs. Ninepence noted that as part of efforts to improve and increase the coverage areas and the quality of food served to students under the school feeding program in the various districts in the Northern region, a total of 444, consisting of 222 caterers and 222 cooks have been trained and given the required skills in improving upon their cooking.
“Indeed, the impact of the school feeding program on the enrollment in schools can’t be overemphasized. Many schools in the Northern region have seen drastic increase in enrollment largely due to the school feeding program.”
Asked what her outfit is doing to ensure that all students and schools covered under the school feeding program get their fair share of the cake, Mrs. Ninepence indicated that there are plans to extend and expand the territories of the program whiles monitoring to address the challenges faced in various districts such as delays in supply.
According to her, the school feeding secretariat is working at improving the program in the coming years to see such challenges permanently addressed and dealt with.
Meanwhile, Mrs. Miriam Ninepence has urged all caterers and cooks to translate the skills and knowledge through their training into cooking and ensure that nutritious foods are served to students and on time.