UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION, WINNEBA PhD VIVA VOCE TOPIC: POLITICS AND SOCIAL PROTECTION PROGRAMMES IN GHANA: THE CASE OF THE GHANA SCHOOL FEEDING PROGRAMME IN THE GA WEST AND EFFUTU MUNICIPALITIES CANDIDATE: EBENEZER TEYE AMANOR-LARTEY (DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL STUDIES EDUCATION)

Outline of Presentation Background of the Study Problem statement Research objectives and questions Literature Methodology Presentation of findings Conclusion and recommendations Study’s contribution to knowledge

Background Defining social protection social protection is a range of policies, programmes and projects that are rolled out by the state to prevent poverty, alleviate poverty and deprivation and ensuring that vulnerabilities are eliminated

Problem statement Central to this study is the role of politics in all its forms in the implementation of the Ghana Schools Feeding Programme (GSFP)

Purpose of Study The purpose of this research was to examine the ‘politics’ that are brought to bear on the implementation of the Ghana School Feeding Programme

Objectives of the Study Assess the role of politics in the implementation of the GSFP. Establish if the GSFP has been implemented to achieve its objectives in the Districts of study. Explore community participation in the implementing of the GSFP. Assess the implementation process and investigates the contributions of the stakeholders in the feeding programme to the implementation process at the district level

Research Questions How is politics influencing the implementation of the School Feeding Programme in Ghana? How has the GSFP as implemented achieved its objectives? How is community participation integrated into the implementation process of the school feeding programme? How are stakeholders involved in the implementation process of the feeding programme at the district level?

Literature Review General works on School Feeding Bundy, et al. (2009) Factors that promote the adoption of SF- Household Poverty, food, fuel, and financial crises, high rates of truancy and dropout rate, disasters, improving children’s health Adelman, et al. (2008 and 2009) and Bundy et al., (2009) identified forms: In-school and take-home Buttenheim, Alderman and Friedman, 2011; Anderson et al., 2005; WFP, 2007a : Objectives of school feeding

The Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP) Abotsi, 2013; Osei-Boateng, 2012; District Operation Manual, 2011 & 2008; SEND Ghana, 2008; Sultan & Schrofer, 2008; WFP, 2007b: i. Objectives ii. Challenges iii. Successes

Politics and Social Protection Barrientos and Hulme (2008): social protection in developing countries requires a political environment. Hickey (2007): Political conditions are necessary for the adoption and sustenance of social protection programmes

Theoretical Framework Model of Saints, Wizards and Demons Reseachers own construct Social Economic Environment Environment Inter-organizational Interactions Political Environment Saints Public Policy Inter-organizational Interactions Inter-organizational Interactions Wizards Demons

Methodology Qualitative approach Case study design Study areas Population and sampling

Discussion of Findings RQ1:How is politics a factor in the implementation of the School Feeding Programme in Ghana?

RQ1 Ga West Effutu DIC Functioning Non-existent SIC Present in four Absent in all Environment Tonic Toxic Responses indicated that there were these institutions present and actively involved in the SFP. Unlike the stakeholder conflict GSFP at the national level (WFP, 2007a) the districts under study did not show any signs of any conflict among stakeholder agencies.

RQ2: How has the GSFP as implemented achieved its objectives? It had been these wizards who have given technical advice to the MCEs and lead the implementation process after they had been given political directives from the MCEs.

1. To reduce short term hunger and malnutrition among school children 1. To reduce short term hunger and malnutrition among school children. “The School Feeding Programme is meant to cushion school pupils from situations of hunger and malnutrition” (Effutu Municipal Officer)

2. To increase enrolment, attendance and retention in schools at the basic level “I have taught in this school for the past eight years and I can say that since the introduction of the school feeding programme, our pupils have been performing better than when there was no school feeding” (School Coordinator, Effutu). “The school feeding programme has brought more pupils to this school” (School Coordinator, Ga West).

3. To boost domestic food production and provide ready market for produce from farmers. FBOs Procurement challenges Home grown SFP?

RQ3: How is community participation integrated into the implementation process of the school feeding programme?

Monitoring SICs Validation workshops “there was not much community ownership of the GSFP in the municipality. There was so much apathy so we embarked on the validation workshops for some communities” (Field work, 2016). “things are improving now as a result of the education and sensitization programmes we have rolled out for the communities. Now, there have been reports of some few people coming around during the cooking and serving periods to check on the food being prepared and served to the children” (Fieldwork, 2016)

Conclusion Politics more than any other factor, determines the success or failure of public policies. The environment within which policies are implemented contribute to the success or failure of public policies Institutional collaboration affects policy implementation

Recommendations DICs and SICs should be established and strengthened by the DAs The DCEs must enforce the regulations of the SFP to improve the governance system at the district level and school levels The Agricultural Directorates should get involved to organize FBOs to make foodstuffs available to caterers in order to grow the local economies of host communities The District Assemblies should ensure that beneficiary schools are provided with functional kitchens, store rooms and canteens. To improve community involvement and participation in the implementation of the GSFP, the Municipal/District Assemblies should embark on validation and sensitization exercises in their districts