Ministry failed to effectively manage Hinterland School Feeding Programme

The Auditor General’s Report covering the period January 1, 2018, to June 30, 2022 says that the Ministry of Education (MoE) “did not” effectively manage the Hinterland School Feeding programme rolled out in eighteen schools.

In what was a significant finding, the report said that 32 out of 55 cooks verified in regions 1,7 and 9 did not have a food handler’s certificate as required by the Food Safety Act.

“During interviews, the cooks explained that to obtain their certificate or have it renewed, they have to undergo the required training, which was stalled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a consequence, the meals prepared in these schools are currently prepared by uncertified cooks which represents a breach of the Food Safety Act…”, the report said.