Public Agenda (Accra)
Mahama Zakaria-Tamale
2 October 2009
A recent research conducted by SEND-Ghana indicates that 45% of schools in sample districts under Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP) do not have access to water.
The Chairperson of the working group of Civil Society Platform on Ghana and Education Advisor for SNV, Ms Adama Jehanfo stated that although 85% of schools had been supplied with water by the programme, 87% of them are not in use due to operational challenges.
"The report reveals that 26% of the schools have no access to toilet facilities, while almost 87% of the schools lack hand washing facilities".
She noted that often times when Ghana school feeding is mentioned a picture of children eating is what immediately comes to mind.
However, she said a lot of activities take place before the food is cooked.
"How the food is purchased and produced, the energy source used in cooking, the type of water used to cook and drink, hygienic nature of the kitchen , and the environment, are all important complementary service play in the success of the GSFP, she outlined.
Ms Jehanfo was speaking at Water and Sanitation workshop under the theme, "Chattering the Way Forward in Addressing the Water and Sanitation Issues Affecting the GSFP" in Tamale.
It was organized by SEND-Ghana and sponsored by SNV, IBIS, ActionAid Ghana, TRIAS, PLAN Ghana, CRS, FONG, UWRAP, SMA, NNED, New Energy , IFAD and ACDEP.
Ms Jehanfo noted that water is critical to the GSFP as no cooking can be done without water.
"Cooking with no availability of potable water has diverse negative impact on health and quality of education, especially for the girls as they are often the ones selected to go searching for water".
She said the working group was working to improve the lives of the poor especially in northern Ghana and that school feeding is a catalyst for promoting access to quality education, especially for the masses of the poor rural children in the country.
The Coordinator of the Civil Society Platform, Mr. John Issah corroborated that access to basic water and sanitation services plays an important role in the achievement of the goals of the GSFP.
"Improved water and sanitation will have a positive impact towards alleviating poverty in the country".
He pointed out that evidence from case studies and field visits revealed that lack of improved water and sanitation is a challenge, and that addressing the issue to enhance the GSFP requires collaborative efforts between all stakeholders.
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