The government has allocated GH¢1.982 billion to the Ghana School Feeding Programme for 2026, with more than 4.5 million schoolchildren now receiving a hot meal every school day.

Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Dr Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, said the programme currently covers 4,527,636 children, up from 4,029,580 in 2024.

She said the expansion demonstrates the government’s commitment to improving child nutrition while supporting school attendance and retention.

Dr Lartey said the allocation for the programme had increased from GH¢1.393 billion in 2024 to GH¢1.788 billion in 2025 and GH¢1.982 billion this year.

The feeding grant has also risen from GH¢1.50 to GH¢2 per child. “The amount used to be GH¢1.50 and that has been increased to GH¢2.”

She said government had also cleared caterer arrears from 2024 and paid the first and second terms of the 2025/26 academic year.

Monitoring has been expanded from 4,419 schools in 2025 to 8,270 this year, while 20,171 caterers and head cooks have received training in practical nutrition standards.

Dr Lartey has previously stressed that the government would not compromise on the quality and nutritional value of meals served to children.