The Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has assured Ghanaians that government has made adequate financial provisions to guarantee sufficient food supply for students in senior high schools under the Free Senior High School Programme.
According to the Minister, government has reviewed the implementation of the Free SHS policy and identified key challenges affecting the smooth operation of the programme, particularly concerns relating to food supply and student feeding in various schools across the country.
He explained that measures have now been introduced to address those challenges and ensure uninterrupted academic activities in secondary schools.
Mr Iddrisu gave the assurance during the commissioning of the National Teaching Council regional office complex in Tamale, where he reaffirmed government’s commitment to sustaining and improving the flagship educational initiative.
Speaking at the event, the Education Minister acknowledged that food shortages had previously created major difficulties for some schools operating under the Free SHS programme.
According to him, some institutions were at times forced to suspend academic activities or ask students to return home before the end of the term because of inadequate food supplies.
“Having examined the feeding of Free Senior High School students, we realised that there were many times that schools had to be closed down or, in the course of the academic year, students had to be asked to go home because there was inadequate food. That is now a thing of the past,” he stated.
Mr Iddrisu stressed that government has now secured sufficient resources to prevent a recurrence of such disruptions and ensure students remain in school throughout the academic calendar.
He further disclosed that financing arrangements for the programme have been strengthened through the Ghana Education Trust Fund, which he said would continue to provide consistent support for the implementation of Free SHS.
“There are adequate resources and adequate funding from GETFund to finance Free Senior High School,” he assured.
The Minister added that government remains focused on improving the quality, sustainability, and effectiveness of the Free SHS policy while ensuring students across the country continue to benefit from accessible secondary education without interruptions.
Source: Wesleyannews.com
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