Nat’l Tymes News Desk
THE GREATER Accra Regional School Feeding Coordinator, Jessica Patience Braimah, has organized a special three-day practical training programme for caterers across the region to improve the quality and nutrition of meals served to school children.
The training, held under the theme “Nourishing Young Minds for Ghana,” placed strong emphasis on the use of local and highly nutritious food items, especially nkoko nkitinkiti (local chicken) and soya beans, in preparing school meals.
Resource persons from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture educated participants on the high protein content of soya beans, explaining that it contains more protein than fish and meat. They noted that regular use of soya beans can support children’s body growth and brain development, helping them stay active and perform better academically.
A major highlight of the programme was the promotion of nkoko nkitinkiti, its eggs, and related local poultry products. Caterers, under auspices of National School Feeding Secretariat were taken through practical sessions on how to prepare stews and soups using local chicken and eggs, served with rice and jollof.
Nutrition experts explained that nkoko nkitinkiti is rich in essential nutrients and is a healthier option compared to some processed meat products. The move is also expected to promote local poultry farmers and boost the local economy.
In an interview with Nationaltymes.com, Madam Braimah said caterers have been directed to avoid foreign spices and instead use local spices and foodstuffs. She explained that the National Democratic Congress government led by President Dramani Mahama, through the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Protection and the National School Feeding Secretariat led by Hajia Fati Forgor, is committed to ensuring that children are fed with healthy, locally sourced meals.
Caterers were also advised to reduce the time spent cooking leafy vegetables such as nkontomre and nkowsusua in order to preserve their nutrients. They were encouraged to cut down on the quantity of cooking oil used in meal preparation, as excessive oil intake could negatively affect the health of children.
Additionally, they were discouraged from covering hot food with polythene. Instead, they were urged to use plantain leaves, especially when serving meals like waakye and other foods, since the leaves add natural flavour and have nutritional value.
At the end of each practical cooking session, resource persons tasted the prepared meals and expressed satisfaction with the quality displayed. They charged the caterers to replicate the same high standards in their various schools.
Caterers who participated in the training, many of whom described themselves as apprentices in modern nutrition-based cooking, expressed gratitude for the opportunity. They said they had learned new techniques that would help them prepare balanced and healthier meals for the children.
The training brought together caterers from about 29 districts put into three zones. Ga West, Ga East, Ga South, La Nkwantang Madina, Ablekuma Central, Weija Gbawe, Adenta Municipal, Ga Central, Ga North, and Tema and its surrounding communities. The programme was successfully concluded on Tuesday.
The initiative marks a significant step toward strengthening the School Feeding Programme in Greater Accra, while promoting nkoko nkitinkiti and other local foods as key ingredients in nourishing Ghana’s future generation.
Source: Nationaltymes.com
