Govt to hold meeting with CHASS, MoE on SHS food supply issues

The government on Monday, January 13, 2025, is expected to hold a high-level meeting with the Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS) and the Ministry of Education to address the ongoing food supply issues in second-cycle schools across the country, a former Ranking Member of the Education Committee, Dr Clement Apaak, has disclosed.

His hint at the meeting follows concerns raised and disappointment expressed by some Ghanaians in the government’s lack of efforts to address food shortages affecting government second-cycle schools across the country.

Speaking in an interview monitored by Pretertiary.com, he said that a high-level meeting will be held on Monday with the Chief of Staff and other sector leaders to map out immediate solutions to the crisis that will be made public.

“I can also state authoritatively that, on Monday the Chief of Staff is going to meet with the leadership again. In the background, we’ve been doing a lot to try and address the immediate challenges even as we look towards implementing the policy proposals that were presented to Ghanaians during the election campaign.”

The Builsa South Member of Parliament reassured the public, particularly parents that the Mahama government remains committed to the Free Senior High School policy and will work tirelessly to ensure the system functions effectively.

“We are not oblivious and we are not sleeping, we are working. Ghanaian parents and the good people of this Republic should rest assured that John Mahama is going to deliver on his promise to sustain and improve it,” he noted.

The need for immediate action on the food shortages comes after the Conference of Heads of Assisted Senior High Schools (CHASS) asked parents to supplement food supplies for their children following the reopening of government second-cycle schools across the country this academic year.

In a statement sighted by Pretertiary.com, the National Secretary of the Conference of Heads of Assisted Senior High Schools, Primus Baro, said in parts of the country, some public second-cycle schools lacked food supplies like oil and maize.

“I encourage parents, and I have already advised my Parent Teacher Association (PTA) to this effect, to let their children bring food like gari, shito, and sugar to supplement whatever the school provides.

I urge parents across the country, as the food situation has still not improved in the past two and three years, and it has worsened at this particular time,” Primus Baro said in the press statement describing the situation as worrying.

The CHASS Secretary added “Food supplies are not reaching the schools. In places like the Upper West, Upper East, and Northern regions, apart from rice, the schools have no stable food supplies. Oil is completely unavailable

For example, in my school, I currently don’t have a single drop of oil, so my matron has been using margarine to replace oil for cooking. I don’t have maize or beans—only rice and some gari.”

He stressed that “We are still relying on the old practices of sending students with what they have, and that’s the only reason we allowed the students to return. Otherwise, the situation is still far from ideal.”

Meanwhile, the National Food Suppliers Association has blamed the shortages on a lack of clear payment plans and uncertainties regarding the current administration’s commitment to honouring agreements made by the previous government.