Nana Ama Rescues BECE Candidates, Sacks ‘Bad’ Caterers

Pupils in some schools in the Ashanti region who complained of being served ‘bad food’ last week will be enjoying some good food from Monday, thanks to Nana Ama Ampomah, the Ashanti regional Coordinator for the Ghana School Feeding Program (GSFP).

Quick response from the Coordinator’s office regarding the poor food served to some Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) candidates leading to the dismissal of two caterers in Manhyia South Sub Metro has not only endeared her great admiration from pupils and teachers but people across the Kumasi Metropolitan Area.

One other person who was saved by grace has been cautioned and would be monitored closely in the coming week.

Also, other caterers within the Asokwa Municipality were cautioned to stick to the standards of food agreed in their contracts.

The workaholic Coordinator went on an unannounced tour last Friday to ascertain the veracity of complaints made by some pupils and tutors of the Junior High Schools.

Madam Ampomah was generally satisfied with the foods that were being given to the pupils at the time of her unannounced visits.

Last week, a few caterers nearly marred the good intention of the president to help the candidates have calmed nerves while writing the exams by serving them one hot meal daily.

Their inability to stick to the agreed standards, serving what the pupils and tutors referred to as poor food court the displeasure of many against the good intentions of the president.

However, the majority of the caterers who did not only understand the president’s vision but showed care for the candidates saved what The Gister would describe as a Good-thought-bad-delivery situation.

At the Good Shepherd School at Ahensan-estate in the Asokwa Municipal Assembly, three teachers commended the caterer for providing the pupils with good food.

Teachers and Pupils at Serwaah Nyarko MA and St Louis basic schools also commended their caterers for cooking good foods.

Madam Ampomah addressing The Gister said the directorate upon complaints and videos on television and social media decided to intensify its monitoring of all caterers under the feeding programme.

Out of the 21 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) under her jurisdiction, she said about five schools had challenges with their food.

"As a directorate, we are determined to intensify our monitoring so that caterers in all the 43 MMDAs in Ashanti give the best of foods to BECE pupils so as to encourage them to study and pass their exams," she said.