Article Information
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Category | Education Government & Policy News |
| Hub | Early & Basic Education |
| Cluster | Ghana School Feeding Programme |
| Article Type | Education Policy / Social Protection |
| Date Published | 19 September 2026 |
| Primary Focus Keyword | Ghana School Feeding Programme 2026 |
| Location | Ghana |
| Key Institution | Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection |
| Status | Reported Government Update |
| Author | Ferdinand Ellis |
Fact Check & Editorial Review
The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection has reported a significant expansion of the Ghana School Feeding Programme in 2026.
According to Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection Dr Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, the programme is now reaching 4,527,636 schoolchildren every school day, compared with 4,029,580 pupils in 2024. The 2026 allocation has risen to GH¢1.982 billion, while the feeding grant remains GH¢2.00 per meal.
The Minister presented the figures at a Government Accountability Series in Accra. Graphic Online also reported that the Ministry has cleared caterer arrears from 2024 and settled payments for the first and second terms of the 2025/26 academic year.
Key Takeaways
- The Ghana School Feeding Programme now reaches 4,527,636 children daily.
- The programme’s 2026 budget is GH¢1.982 billion.
- The per-meal grant is GH¢2.00.
- Beneficiary numbers have increased from 4.03 million in 2024 to more than 4.52 million in 2026.
- The Ministry says caterer arrears from 2024 have been cleared.
- Payments for the first and second terms of the 2025/26 academic year have also been settled.
- Compliance monitoring has expanded from 4,419 schools in 2025 to 8,270 schools in 2026.
- 20,171 caterers and head cooks have received training in practical nutrition standards.
In Brief
The Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP) has expanded to provide daily meals to more than 4.5 million schoolchildren across the country.
The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection says the programme is serving 4,527,636 children every school day, supported by a 2026 allocation of GH¢1.982 billion.
The expansion comes alongside increased monitoring of participating schools, training for caterers and head cooks, and the reported clearance of outstanding caterer payments.
➡️ Related: Ghana School Feeding Programme Updates
➡️ Related: Basic Education News in Ghana
School Feeding Programme Now Reaches 4.53 Million Children
The number of children benefiting from the Ghana School Feeding Programme has increased substantially since 2024.
The latest figure is 4,527,636 children, representing an increase from 4,029,580 pupils in 2024.
The programme provides meals to participating schoolchildren on every school day and is administered as part of Ghana’s wider social protection and education support framework.
The Information Services Department, reporting on the Minister’s presentation, confirmed the 2026 beneficiary figure and described the programme as reaching more than 4.5 million children daily.
The expansion means that hundreds of thousands more children are now covered compared with the 2024 level.
How the School Feeding Allocation Has Changed
The reported figures show an increase in both programme funding and coverage.
| Year | Government Allocation | Beneficiary Children | Grant Per Meal |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | GH¢1.393 billion | 4,029,580 | GH¢1.50 |
| 2025 | GH¢1.788 billion | 4,231,000+ | GH¢2.00 |
| 2026 | GH¢1.982 billion | 4,527,636 | GH¢2.00 |
The 2026 allocation represents a 42 per cent increase over the 2024 allocation cited by the Ministry.
The per-meal grant was increased from GH¢1.50 to GH¢2.00 in 2025 and has remained at GH¢2.00 in 2026.
➡️ Related: Education Budget and Policy Updates
➡️ Related: Education Statistics and Research
Caterer Arrears Reportedly Cleared
The Ministry has also reported progress concerning payments to caterers.
According to Dr Lartey, all caterer arrears from 2024 have been cleared, while payments for the first and second terms of the 2025/26 academic year have also been settled.
The payment position is significant because the effectiveness of a school feeding programme depends not only on the number of children covered but also on the ability of caterers to provide meals consistently.
Timely payments can affect caterers’ ability to procure food, prepare meals and maintain continuity of service.
Monitoring Expanded to 8,270 Schools
The Ministry says it has also increased compliance monitoring across schools participating in the programme.
Monitoring coverage has risen from 4,419 schools in 2025 to 8,270 schools in 2026.
The expansion is intended to strengthen oversight of the programme and provide greater attention to compliance with required standards.
The Ministry also reported that 20,171 caterers and head cooks have received training in practical nutrition standards.
This introduces a quality dimension to the programme’s expansion. Increasing the number of beneficiaries is one measure of programme coverage, while monitoring and nutrition training address how the meals are delivered.
➡️ Related: Child Nutrition and School Health
➡️ Related: Education Quality and Accountability
What the Expansion Means for Basic Education
School feeding sits at the intersection of education, nutrition and social protection.
For families whose children attend participating schools, a daily school meal can reduce some of the direct costs associated with feeding children during the school day.
From an education perspective, the programme also forms part of the wider support environment surrounding school participation.
However, the number of beneficiaries alone does not provide a complete picture of programme performance. Questions concerning meal quality, regularity, nutritional adequacy, payment sustainability, procurement and monitoring remain important to evaluating implementation.
The Ministry’s reported expansion of compliance monitoring and nutrition training therefore provides an additional part of the 2026 picture.
The Broader Social Protection Context
The School Feeding Programme was one of several areas highlighted by the Gender Ministry during its Government Accountability Series presentation.
The Ministry also reported increases in the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) grants and an expansion of the programme’s beneficiary ceiling.
According to the Minister, the LEAP ceiling has increased from 350,000 to 450,000 households, while the average grant reportedly rose from GH¢334 in 2024 to GH¢569 in 2026.
The School Feeding Programme therefore forms part of a broader social protection agenda covering vulnerable households, children and other groups.
What Parents and Schools Should Know
The latest figures concern the national programme, rather than an announcement that every school in Ghana receives the same level of support or serves the same menu.
Parents should therefore distinguish between national programme figures and the specific arrangements at an individual school.
Schools participating in the programme remain subject to the applicable operational and monitoring requirements.
The reported training of caterers and head cooks, together with expanded compliance monitoring, is intended to strengthen implementation at school level.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many children benefit from the Ghana School Feeding Programme in 2026?
The Ministry reports that 4,527,636 schoolchildren receive a meal every school day under the programme.
How much is the school feeding grant per meal?
The reported grant is GH¢2.00 per meal in 2026.
What is the 2026 School Feeding Programme budget?
The 2026 allocation is reported as GH¢1.982 billion.
How many schools are being monitored?
The Ministry says compliance monitoring has expanded to 8,270 schools in 2026, compared with 4,419 in 2025.
Have caterer arrears been cleared?
The Ministry says all caterer arrears from 2024 have been cleared and payments for the first and second terms of the 2025/26 academic year have been settled.
How many caterers and head cooks have received training?
The Ministry reports that 20,171 caterers and head cooks have received training in practical nutrition standards.
Conclusion
The Ghana School Feeding Programme has expanded considerably in 2026, with the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection reporting coverage of 4.53 million schoolchildren every school day.
The expansion has been accompanied by a GH¢1.982 billion allocation, a GH¢2.00 per-meal grant, wider compliance monitoring and training for thousands of caterers and head cooks. The Ministry has also reported the clearance of outstanding caterer arrears from 2024 and payments covering the first two terms of the 2025/26 academic year.
The figures demonstrate the scale of the programme in Ghana’s basic education system. Its longer-term effectiveness, however, will also depend on the quality and nutritional adequacy of meals, reliable payments, effective monitoring and consistent implementation at school level.
About the Author
Ferdinand Ellis is a Ghanaian education blogger, curriculum specialist, researcher, education policy analyst and educator. He is the founder and editor of EducateGhana.com, Ghana’s Education Intelligence Platform, and writes on education policy, curriculum, teacher education, examinations, student welfare and developments across Ghana’s education sector.
Editorial Note
EducateGhana distinguishes between reported government performance figures and independent assessment of programme outcomes. The figures in this report are attributed to the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection and are independently corroborated by Ghana’s Information Services Department and Ghana News Agency.
Sources
- Graphic Online, “Gender ministry increases LEAP grant, expands school feeding,” 19 September 2026.
- Information Services Department (ISD), “School Feeding Programme Reaches 4.53 million Children Daily,” 16 September 2026.
- Ghana News Agency (GNA), “Gender Minister hails Ghana School Feeding Programme,” 16 September 2026.
