Imagine sitting in class, staring at equations, novels, or scientific formulas, while your stomach growls with hunger. For far too many university students in Ghana, this is not just a rough day—it is their daily reality. According to a study by Amponsem and colleagues in 2019, about 61% of tertiary students in Ghana experience food insecurity, with more than 40% suffering severe hunger that harms their health and learning.
“Books on an empty stomach” is not a slogan—it is a painful truth. Thousands of students see their dreams dimmed, not because of laziness or lack of effort, but because they lack the basic nourishment to think, learn, and succeed.
A Human Crisis, Not Just a Student Issue
This is not just about individual struggles. It is a national concern. When bright young people are preoccupied with hunger, their ability to concentrate, innovate, and thrive diminishes. Ghana’s future—its teachers, doctors, engineers, and leaders—cannot reach their full potential under these conditions. And this is not a problem unique to Ghana. In South Africa, a 2015 study by Van den Berg and Raubenheimer revealed that 65% of students faced food insecurity, while in Nigeria, research by Olatona and others in 2021 found the figure to be over 80%. Even the World Bank in a 2022 report warned that hunger among students in Sub-Saharan Africa is silently slowing down human capital development.
The Daily Struggle: Missed Meals, Missed Opportunities
For many students, hunger is not simply skipping breakfast once in a while—it is a constant battle. At Takoradi Technical University, a survey in 2020 showed that only 35.7% of students ate breakfast regularly. The reasons were painfully familiar: lack of money, heavy academic schedules, or just low morale.
The consequences are heartbreaking. Reports from Ghana’s Ministry of Education and UNICEF in 2018 highlighted that students often suffer headaches, fatigue, stomach pains, and lack of concentration. According to the Ghana News Agency in 2021, some students even admitted dropping out temporarily because of poor nutrition. How can anyone be expected to excel while enduring such discomfort? These are not mere statistics—they are the untold stories of resilience and struggle among Ghana’s youth.
Supporting Students Through Policy: An Investment in Human Dignity
The student loan scheme has been a lifeline for many, but it no longer stretches far enough. With the rising cost of living, students are forced to choose between buying a textbook or a meal, paying for transport or having dinner.
That is why I strongly believe a compassionate solution is necessary: increasing the student loan to between GHS 2,500 and GHS 3,000 per semester. This is not charity—it is an investment in human dignity and in the country’s future. With such support, students can focus on learning and contributing, rather than worrying about their next meal.
Universities as Communities of Care
Universities are not only centers of academic training; they are communities that shape young lives. Lecturers and administrators see firsthand the tiredness and distraction hunger causes. It is time for universities to become communities of care.
Some simple but powerful steps include:
– Subsidized campus food banks: Partnering with government and private organizations to discreetly provide affordable food to students.
– Active welfare offices: Identifying students in need and offering counseling, meal vouchers, or emergency aid.
These measures can turn a university from a place of struggle into one of genuine support. In fact, according to the Global Partnership for Education in 2022, universities that integrate welfare programs into academic life record higher student performance and retention.
NGOs and Development Partners: Compassion in Action
While policies take time to shift, NGOs and development partners can act quickly. Meal programs, welfare packages, and innovative food security projects aimed at students can make a life-changing difference. Such contributions are not just acts of charity—they are acts of compassion that remind students they are valued and not forgotten. As UNICEF noted in a 2021 update, small interventions such as subsidized meal cards can have a large impact on learning outcomes.
The Goal: Equal Opportunity for Every Student
At the heart of this issue is fairness. No student’s future should depend on whether or not they can afford their next meal. Hunger is a barrier we can and must remove—together.
By joining hands—government, universities, civil society, and development partners—we can replace the distraction of hunger with the energy of nourishment. Let us ensure students are fueled not by desperation, but by ambition.
Ghana must be a place where education is not weighed down by hunger, but supported with compassion and care. The time to act with empathy is now.
When students are nourished, their minds can shine. Let’s give them not only books, but the strength to read, think, and dream beyond measure.
By Nantiere Ernest
Student, University of Education Winneba
School of Communication and Media Studies, Journalism Department
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