This appeal was made during a courtesy visit to the Oti Regional Minister, John Kwadwo Gyapong, where they congratulated him on his nomination.

In an interview with Adom News, the chairman of CHASS, Charles Nyame Kormisah, highlighted several challenges faced by second-cycle institutions.

These challenges include a lack of infrastructure, stalled projects, insufficient furniture, a shortage of pick-up vehicles, and inadequate computers.

He also stressed the importance of establishing a STEM school to promote education in science and technology.

Kormisah raised concerns about the academic preparedness of Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) graduates admitted to second-cycle institutions, as well as the need for more non-teaching staff to support school operations.

Through the Oti Regional Minister, CHASS urged the government to address these pressing needs to improve the quality of education in the region.

In response, Oti Regional Minister John Kwadwo Gyapong assured the members of CHASS that he would engage with the Minister of Education and the government to tackle the challenges faced by secondary technical institutions.

He committed to using his platform to advocate for the necessary support, ensuring that the concerns of CHASS would be communicated to the relevant authorities for action.

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This has left them unable to purchase essential supplies or feed students.

This was disclosed by the Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS).

Speaking to JoyNews, CHASS President Rev. Fr. Stephen Owusu Sekyere narrated how the situation came about.

“The Greater Accra Regional Chairman informed me that several schools in the region have had their accounts swept and are in red. Upon further investigation, I reached out to the Deputy Director-General and the Financial Controller of the Ghana Education Service (GES), both of whom confirmed the situation. I also contacted the Director of Finance at the Ministry of Finance, who likewise verified that the affected schools’ accounts with the Bank of Ghana had been depleted,” he stated.

In January 2025, many senior high schools nationwide faced food shortages, prompting the government to release about GHS200 million as an emergency intervention to help schools procure food supplies. However the schools have not been able to pay food suppliers.

Rev. Father Owusu Sekyere noted that cheques issued to food suppliers have bounced due to insufficient funds in school accounts.

“I’m not sure exactly how much money has been withdrawn from the accounts, but the funds disbursed by the government to address food shortages should be available in these school accounts.

“These funds were specifically allocated for procuring food items, and schools are expected to use them to pay suppliers. However, with no money in the accounts, issued cheques are bouncing, leaving the schools unable to fulfill their financial obligations,” he explained.

He warned that the situation could severely impact the daily operations of the affected schools.

He, therefore, called on the Ghana Education Service and the Bank of Ghana to ensure the immediate restoration of the funds to prevent further disruptions in school operations.

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According to him, the fund is an emergency intervention by the government following the food shortage faced by various SHSs nationwide.

“It was for 31 days as instructed by the president, and beyond that, when we are able to address the issue as it is now, I believe it will provide clear direction on what can be done moving forward,” he said.

Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show, Mr. Baro further disclosed that in a meeting with government officials, it emerged that efforts have already begun to deliver food supplies directly to schools.

President John Mahama had earlier ordered that food meant for victims of last year’s drought in the northern part of the country be redirected to schools. These supplies are currently stored in warehouses at Tema Port.

“At the meeting, it was revealed that out of the 18 food items needed, only two are available at the warehouse.

“While the supplies are on their way, the Chief of Staff and the President agreed on an immediate decision to provide emergency funds covering 31 days for both day and boarding schools. This will allow schools to mobilise food locally to address the situation quickly,” Mr. Baro explained.

Mr. Baro added that the government is working to ensure that both the funds and supplies reach the schools by the end of the week.

In addition to the emergency measures, Mr. Baro noted that the Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, has committed to broader consultations with education stakeholders to develop a permanent solution to the recurring challenges in senior high schools.

“There was a clear indication that a wider executive education forum will be held to address these issues. While we wait for this consultation, we hope that the government will provide clear interim directions during this one-month relief period. Feeding and funding for schools cannot be delayed further,” Mr. Baro emphasised.

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In response to a question from Kojo Yankson on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on Thursday, January 16, asking if the amount was enough to feed a child, Mr. Baro said, “My immediate response to that is that it is not enough.”

Although Mr. Baro acknowledged the fee’s inadequacy, he added that they would not overburden the new government by pushing for an immediate increase. “Considering the transitional issues and the very serious matter of food shortages, this is something we would have to manage,” he explained.

However, he expressed confidence that discussions with the government would take place to address the issue. “But going forward, I believe there will be a forum to review these figures and come up with something realistic, both in terms of the government’s ability to pay and in meeting at least a minimum standard of feeding in the schools,” he said.

“For now, it is not enough, but if we get it, fine. In the near future, I believe we will all agree on a more suitable figure,” he emphasized.

Currently, the government allocates GH₵ 7.50 per student for three meals a day at secondary schools.

Of this amount, only GH₵ 2.50 is available for purchasing perishable foods, while the remaining GH₵ 5.00 is used by the government to buy other food items, which are then distributed to the schools.

Mr. Baro, addressing the ongoing food shortage affecting schools across the country, revealed that a meeting had been held with government officials about the issue. He was assured that by the close of Friday, January 17, schools would receive additional funding to alleviate the situation.

Additionally, President John Mahama has ordered the redirection of food meant for victims of last year’s drought in the northern part of the country to schools. These supplies are currently stored in warehouses at Tema Port.

At the basic school level, the government allocates GH₵ 1.20 per child under the school feeding programme.

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In response to a guest on Joy FM’s Ghana Connect on Friday, January 10, who expressed disappointment in the government’s lack of efforts to address food shortages in senior high schools compared with efforts to tackle the looming electricity crisis, Dr. Apaak highlighted the behind-the-scenes efforts already underway to address the issue.

“We are constrained, but even so, I can tell you that the Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, has held a meeting with the Director-General of the Ghana Education Service and the Chief Director of the Ministry of Education on this very matter,” Dr. Apaak noted.

Dr. Apaak confirmed 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, which 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.”

He reassured the public, particularly parents, that the Mahama government remains committed to the Free SHS 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.”

There have been widespread reports of food shortages in various senior high schools, forcing the Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS) to appeal to parents and guardians to supplement their children’s food supplies, as the National Food Suppliers Association cites its inability to deliver food to schools.

The suppliers blame the situation on the absence of a clear payment plan and uncertainty over whether the current administration will honour arrangements made by the previous government.

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“Greater Accra has only rice to feed the students, which will not be sufficient in the coming days. We do not have maize, beans, or other ingredients for the schools in the region,” he lamented.

In an interview with the Ghana News Agency, Mr. Amoasi said he had sent the schools’ needs and outstanding bursaries to the regional director of CHASS for prompt action.

He added that these challenges prompted the national leadership of CHASS to appeal to the government to postpone the reopening of schools to January 3, 2025, but their request was denied.

Mr. Amoasi, also the Headmaster of St. Thomas Aquinas SHS, explained, “My school, which is a day school, only serves hot meals for the students.”

He noted that other boarding schools, such as Labone SHS, Accra Girls SHS, and others, provide only rice for breakfast, lunch, and supper.

The situation, he emphasized, was dire, and he indicated that if nothing was done to address the shortage of rice by Monday, January 13, 2025, there would be no food to feed the students.

He supported the appeal by the National Leadership of CHASS for parents to assist in feeding their children in school.

A communiqué signed by Mr. Primus Baro, CHASS National Secretary, on December 18, 2024, highlighted the financial challenges faced by schools, which persist despite previous communications and verbal assurances from the government.

A statement signed by Cassandra Twum Ampofo, Head of the Public Relations Unit of the Ghana Education Service, announced that SHS students would report to school on Friday, January 3, 2025. The statement also confirmed that Primary and Junior High Schools would reopen on Wednesday, January 8, 2025.

The Ghana Education Service emphasized that its leadership is engaging with the Ministry of Education to address the concerns raised by CHASS.

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In an interview on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem, Mr. Kwarteng revealed that GH₵150 million was released for food supply, with GH₵100 million allocated to suppliers and GH₵50 million directed to headteachers for the purchase of perishables.

While he did not specify the exact date, he mentioned that the disbursement occurred last week.

This clarification comes in response to an appeal from the Conference of Heads of Assisted Senior High Schools (CHASS) to parents and guardians to assist with feeding challenges in SHSs.

CHASS Secretary, Primus Baro, disclosed that some schools are rationing food, especially in northern Ghana. Baro explained that food supplies are scarce, particularly in the Upper West, Upper East, and Northern regions, where oil is completely unavailable, and schools have only rice and some gari.

However, Mr. Kwarteng disagreed with the portrayal of a food shortage, stating that the directive for students to bring food might be a precautionary measure rather than an indication of a complete shortage.

He emphasized that the situation was not due to the government’s financial shortfall but rather a result of suppliers’ cautious approach due to the uncertainty surrounding future payments from the incoming administration.

“When the new government has continuously indicated plans to allow headmasters to buy their own food, it will spark fear and panic among the suppliers,” Mr. Kwarteng explained.

“There could be a problem, but nobody should paint the picture that the previous government left a bad situation to create disaffection. It is nowhere admitted that there was no food; the schools had food.”

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According to her, such a review would help address the challenges the second-cycle education sector faces.

Her comment follows a statement by the General Secretary of the Conference of Heads of Assisted Senior High Schools (CHASS), Primus Baro, who urged parents and guardians to assist their wards with food when they return to school to help address the food shortage that has hit secondary schools.

Mrs. Irene Sam, in an interview with Nana Osei Ampofo Adjei on The Big Agenda on Adom TV, said, ‘Assisted Senior High Schools raised concerns about food shortages in the secondary schools prior to the Christmas break, so the PTA decided to go on a tour to see the situation firsthand and understand how parents can help. However, CHASS denied them access to the schools.’

She expressed her dissatisfaction with CHASS’s decision to deny parents access to the schools to ascertain the situation.

‘We are not happy about the situation in the schools, and as a Parents Association, we have asked parents to support their children with food when they are going back to school, so that in case the schools are unable to provide food for them, the children will not go hungry,’ she said.

Mrs. Irene Sam further remarked during the interview that the review of Free Secondary Education has been long overdue and needs to be addressed as quickly as possible.

‘Education is a shared responsibility; we cannot leave everything in the hands of the government. At least the policy should be reviewed so that parents who can pay will do so to ease the burden on the government and make the policy better,’ Madam Irene said.

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CHASS had earlier appealed to the Ghana Education Service (GES) to reconsider the reopening of high schools, citing unresolved financial issues, including the government’s non-payment for perishable foods provided for students last year.

However, the GES rejected this appeal.

Five days after schools reopened, the National Secretary of CHASS, Primus Baro, told JoyNews that the situation in high schools is dire, with many institutions having to ration food.

He therefore encouraged parents to support their children with food items for use at school to complement the government’s provision.

“I encourage parents, and I have already advised my PTA to this effect, to let their children bring food like gari, shitor, 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 or three years, and it has worsened at this particular time,” he said on JoyNews’ Newsdesk on Wednesday, January 8.

He revealed that the situation is particularly severe in schools in northern Ghana.

“Food supplies are not reaching the schools. In places like Upper West, Upper East, and the 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 added.

He stressed, “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.”

The Free Senior High School (SHS) programme, initiated by the previous Nana Akufo-Addo-led government, has faced numerous challenges over the years, including insufficient classroom and dormitory facilities, inadequate food, and more.

Critics have also argued that the programme has led to an increase in the number of SHS graduates, but not necessarily in the quality of education.

However, the new president, John Mahama, before winning the election, promised to revitalise the programme rather than abolish it.

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The Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS) a few weeks ago addressed the Ministry of Education, and warned that a failure to address the financial constraints facing the second-cycle schools before January 3, 2025, could disrupt the reopening process.

It went ahead to advise strongly against the reopening of schools in a statement issued a few days ago.

However the Ghana Education Service (GES) in a statement issued on Thursday, January 2, a day before the reopening date, confirmed that nothing has changed. It said the 2024/25 academic calendar will proceed as previously announced.

The GES reminded students, staff, parents, and the general public that there are no changes to the academic schedule.

As stated in the official release, Senior High School (SHS) students are expected to return to school on January 3, 2025, while students at primary and Junior High Schools (JHS) will resume classes on January 8, 2025.

In addition, the GES management mentioned that they are actively engaging with the Ministry of Education to address the concerns raised by the leadership of the Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS).

The GES said it is working towards a swift resolution of these concerns to ensure the smooth commencement of the academic year.

It urged all stakeholders to take note of these important dates and make the necessary arrangements to prepare for the start of the new academic year.

The statement emphasized the importance of adhering to the schedule to ensure a successful reopening of schools across the country.

In a letter dated December 20, 2024, CHASS warned that reopening schools without addressing these issues could disrupt academic activities.

This follows multiple appeals to the Ministry and GES regarding unpaid arrears for perishables, recurrent fees, and transportation costs for food items delivered from regional centres to schools.

Despite letters sent on August 12, November 13, and December 20, 2024, CHASS noted with disappointment the lack of action on these critical matters, leaving schools in a dire financial state.

As a result, CHASS has advised its members against reopening schools on January 3. Parents and guardians will be informed through regional CHASS branches and school Parent Associations (PAs).

Leadership emphasized that this decision aligns with their efforts to address the financial difficulties. Any deviation from the directive will be considered a breach of trust in the association’s collective advocacy.

CHASS has assured members of timely updates and expressed hope for a swift resolution to ensure schools can reopen without further challenges.

Rather belatedly, CHASS profusely chronicles and laments the financial challenges confronting our secondary schools under the free Senior High School (free SHS) Programme. According to CHASS, it would advise against the reopening of secondary schools on January 3rd, 2025 if all outstanding funds are not paid.

The question many are asking is this: Why has CHASS been quiet about Akufo-Addo’s indebtedness to his so-called flagship policy all this while? Equally, many Ghanaians are asking why Akufo-Addo has failed to meet his obligations to his so-called flagship policy when all budgetary requests made to fund the free SHS policy since 2017 have been approved by parliament.

Until recently, the free SHS policy had been touted as the most impactful policy during Akufo-Addo’s two-term administration. The governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) put it front and centre in its 2020 campaign messaging and again in the just-ended 2024 elections.

However, post-election developments in the education sector have spoken volumes of the significant challenges that have handicapped the programme. Most of the problems can be summed up in one word, DEBTS on all fronts.

In the CHASS letter dated December 20, 2024, the association itemised several debts the government owed to its schools. It noted that the arrears stemmed from recurrent monies owed to the schools, perishable items, transport funding, and utility bills.

Figures from CHASS show that the debts it is currently demanding that the government pay began accruing some four years ago.

In 2021, available data shows that recurrent arrears for SHS 1 and SHS 2 students were left unpaid in the second semester. Second-year students in transition schools were not also catered for in funding as the debts piled up.

The story worsened the following year when throughout the first year of the succeeding academic year, recurrent arrears expected to take care of SHS 1, 2, and 3 students were not paid.

In the second semester of 2022, the government paid half of the recurrent arrears to the transition schools for third-year students. For SHS 1 students who were in school that semester, the lingering arrears were not paid.

The year 2023 was not different in any way. The government continued to kick its debts down the trail, failing to settle them for the SHS 1 students who were in school in the first semester.

As the year progressed to give way to the second semester, recurrent arrears remained as managers of the education sector were unable to pay any of such debts to the transition schools. This affected all second-cycle students in those institutions.

Only the examination fee component was paid to the transition Day and Boarding schools in the first semester of the 2023/2024 academic year with the remaining debts outstanding. The second semester was more of the same given that it was only the examination fee component that was paid to all the schools.

Debt owed to the public SHS has hardly come as a surprise following the West African Examination Council’s (WAEC) unusual public pronouncements about debts owed it. Figures from CHASS show that the administration has paid 50% of its arrears with respect to the West African Senior Secondary Examination (WASSCE) practical for the 2022 and 2023 Academic Years.

All these debts point to a pattern of funding constraints dating back to the first year of President Akufo-Addo’s second term. Despite these challenges, President Akufo-Addo accused those who genuinely raised concerns about the poorly implemented free SHS policy as naysayers and even went ahead to accuse them of seeking the downfall of the policy.

In the face of all these, CHASS was silent, only cautioning in the dying hours of the outgoing government that schools cannot be reopened if the arrears are not paid. It would have been in the national interest, for CHASS to have raised these concerns when Akufo-Addo and his appointees peddled falsehoods about the policy all these years.

In eight years, from 2017-2024, the total amount allocated to and approved by parliament for free SHS is Ghc15.5 billion. The logical question then is, why is the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government indebted to free SHS as captured in the CHASS letter?

Given the quantum of funds approved by parliament for the implementation of the policy over the years, the only logical conclusion to arrive at is that Akufo-Addo and his appointees may have misappropriated or diverted funds to other activities unrelated to free SHS. Consequently, a call for a probe into free SHS expenditures from 2017-2024 by the incoming John Dramani Mahama government is justified.

No doubt, free SHS is a laudable policy, but the incompetent and corrupt Akufo-Addo government managed it poorly, as confirmed by CHASS’s letter of lamentations. It is, therefore, not surprising that Ghanaians overwhelmingly voted for President-elect John Dramani Mahama to improve and sustain free SHS.

In a communiqué signed by CHASS’ National Secretary, Primus Baro, the group referenced earlier correspondences dated September 20, 2024, and August 12, 2024, as well as unfulfilled assurances made by the Minister of Education during a Zoom meeting on December 18, 2024.

CHASS noted that, the government’s arrears on perishable items, unpaid utility bills, and other essentials continue to impede the effective management of SHSs nationwide.

The communiqué stressed that these funds are vital to ensuring schools reopen as scheduled on January 3, 2025.

Without the release of these resources, school heads will face significant difficulties in delivering quality education, maintaining infrastructure, and safeguarding students’ welfare.

CHASS has, therefore, urged the Ghana Education Service (GES) and the Ministry of Education to prioritise the disbursement of the outstanding funds to facilitate the smooth reopening and operation of SHSs.

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Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has accused Lamens Investment Africa Limited, in collaboration with the National Food Buffer Stock Company, of supplying 22,000 bags of expired rice to SHSs in February 2024.

Speaking to the media, Mr. Ablakwa called on key education stakeholders to address the issue urgently, stressing the need for swift action to prevent such incidents from recurring.

“We are deeply concerned by the continued silence of CHASS and the teacher unions, which only erodes confidence. Parents trust that the institutions will safeguard their children.

“To learn that school heads are being forced to accept expired, contaminated food with no expiry dates is troubling. This situation implicates both the heads and CHASS, and we demand an explanation as to why they are permitting this,” he said.

The Minority has renewed its call for a comprehensive investigation and accountability to ensure the safety and well-being of students.

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During their 62nd Annual Conference, held in Tamale from October 7 to 11, CHASS voiced concerns about the impact of prepaid electricity meters on their operations.

In a statement, CHASS highlighted that the use of Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) prepaid meters in schools is worsening the financial strain on headteachers.

“CHASS is extremely surprised as to why its members should be burdened with the responsibility of pre-financing the supply of electricity for classrooms, libraries, dormitories, dining halls, laboratories, and other academic purposes,” the statement read.

CHASS called for the government’s immediate intervention, urging the shift from prepaid to postpaid meters to ensure uninterrupted electricity supply.

They emphasised the need for continuous power to support effective academic work and to maintain security on campuses, particularly at night.

The conference was on the theme: “Making the Senior High School Community a 21st Century Learning Centre – A Shared Responsibility.”

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During his recent major policy address as flagbearer on February 7th, Dr Bawumia said that he will engage the private sector to fund capital projects to reduce government expenditure as part of his government’s strict measures to adhere to fiscal discipline.

At a meeting with the Conference of Heads of Assisted Senior High Schools, Dr Bawumia announced that under his government, school infrastructure will be funded through a public, private partnership arrangement with the private sector to ensure the provision of more infrastructure and minimise the burden on the government.

“My administration will incentivise the private sector to complement government in the provision of many infrastructure and other services to reduce government expenditure and improve maintenance,” he said.

During his major policy address, Dr. Bawumia announced a wide range of infrastructure, apart from schools, which he will engage in the private sector to fund.

“The private sector will be encouraged to build roads, schools, hostels, and houses for government to rent or lease to own. The demand for road construction is massive, and this has historically placed a huge burden on the budget. I believe that the private sector should finance the construction and maintenance of roads through PPP concession arrangements.”

Dr. Bawumia’s vision is to leverage the private sector and an enhanced credit system to expand educational infrastructure and support teaching and non-teaching staff to improve the quality of education and educational outcomes.

Under this proposed funding arrangement the private sector will be encouraged to build infrastructure (such as dormitories, classrooms, etc.) which the government will rent for years and own after some time.

The government will also lease buses for schools. This new mode of financing will avoid huge initial government outlays (through the GETFUND) and delays in the completion of infrastructure projects in our Senior High Schools (SHS).

This policy will reduce the educational infrastructure deficit, improve maintenance, enhance the quality of education, and at the same time improve the management of government expenditure.

The meeting with CHASS is the latest in the series of engagements Dr Bawumia has been having key stakeholders meeting to explain his policies to them and also seek their input.

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Taking to Facebook, Mr Mahama noted the change in policy aligns with his stance, which he announced in Navrongo in November 2020.

The National President of the CHASS, Rev. Stephen Owusu Sekyere made the call at the 61st annual conference in Accra.

He bemoaned the struggles they encounter with suppliers before foodstuffs are brought to their schools.

The CHASS President said they are suffering in the hands of suppliers due to debt owed them.

Rev. Sekyere also demanded a significant increase in money allocated for all activities to meet the current increase in the price of goods and services.

In support, the 2024 National Democratic Congress (NDC) flagbearer said the demand is in the right direction.

Mr Mahama noted that, it will eliminate the unnecessary hindrances that hinder the feeding of SHS students in Ghana.

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Read Mr Mahama’s post below:

The National President of the CHASS, Rev. Stephen Owusu Sekyere, who made the call at the 61st annual conference of the Association in Accra also demanded a significant increase in money allocated for all activities to meet the current increase in prices of goods and services.

“We are of the firm belief that procuring the food items by ourselves from our traditional suppliers will help to solve the acute shortages of food items in our schools,” he added.

CHASS conference

The annual gathering of CHASS was basically to bring together educational leaders across the nation for a common purpose to share ideas on best practices as school leaders, hoping to achieve excellence in the delivery of education at the senior high school (SHS) level.

Rev. Sekyere said, “We have a firm belief that procuring the food items by ourselves from our traditional suppliers will help deal with the shortages of food and reduce the logistical and operational challenges that come with it.”

He said the schools were not financially resourced enough to enable it to carry out very important recurring activities.

As a result, Rev. Sekyere noted that routine maintenance works such as plumbing, carpentry, masonry, electrical works, painting, and servicing of some equipment in offices had become very difficult to undertake.

He also expressed grave concern over delays in the supply of school uniforms to newly admitted students, which, he said, paved way for truancy.

The national President further said conduct of internal examinations had also become difficult and, therefore, requested that money for such examinations must be increased.

“Subsequent release for the conduct of practicals must meet the cost. Management must also ensure the timely release of the entire funding of schools to make the work less stressful,” he stressed.

Indiscipline

As a human institution managing the largest human resource in the country, Rev. Sekyere said the CHASS could not pretend that all was well with the profession as leaders of SHS in the country.

Rev. Sekyere expressed concern about the increasing rate of indiscipline and misconduct that had bedeviled most senior high schools, saying some of these misconducts such as hooliganism, bullying, occultism, and drug abuse had their roots in the homes and communities of the culprits.

While acknowledging the recently approved code of conduct for SHS, Rev. Sekyere asked that CHASS be given some discretionary powers at the level of the board of governors to handle more serious issues to fast-track justice delivery in schools.

He, therefore, called on all stakeholders in education to support the schools to help mould the young ones for a brighter future.

Touching on the free SHS policy, he said, “Our roles, as heads of SHS in the country, are very critical in shaping the future of our students, our country, and the world.”

To that end, he said, every contribution and suggestion must be welcomed for the purposes of shaping the free SHS policy.

“The free SHS is a very good initiative that has served as a springboard for the less-privileged in the country to have access to secondary education.

“CHASS recognized the commitment of the government to restore senior high technical schools and also the unwavering effort of the government to sustain the Free SHS policy,” he said.

He mentioned the provision of classrooms, dormitory infrastructure, furniture, and vehicles as some of the additional incentives to boost the sector.

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On Wednesday, students of the community day school protested against feeding challenges in the school.

Speaking with JoyNews, some students said the caterers no longer prepare meals for them and when they do, it is a repeat of the same dish, and usually salt deficient.

A male student obviously angered by the situation, said they are fed once a day and that the food is often tasteless.

“They are providing them with food three times but here only once, they cook it without salt, it’s always banku. We are here suffering every day, what is wrong with us?” he asked.

Another female student said, “They stopped cooking for us from 29th May up till date [July 12, 2023] they haven’t started cooking for us (again).”

“We have made a petition to the authorities, yet there is no feedback. That’s the reason we are out here and not in class,” she said.

Meanwhile, CHASS fears the challenges could hamper the smooth operations of the school and might create tensions between school authorities and the students and possibly spread to other schools.

The Upper East Regional Secretary of CHASS, Bukari Abdul said following the demonstration, the school has partially been shut down.

“What has happened in Bunduri is likely to influence other students in other schools to also agitate,”

He admitted that the students have filed a complaint, however, he said he asked that the students channel their report to their immediate authority, that is the district or regional directors to deal with the issue.

Mr Abdul added that the situation was worrying because other boarding schools also suffered a similar challenge.

Touching on some food items the boarding schools lacked, he said, “Groundnut has become a problem and from January till now we have not had milk, bread flour too has become a challenge so we do without it.”

He seized the opportunity to appeal to the government and the National Buffer Stock Company to resolve the issues because beneficiaries of the free Senior High School were at the receiving end of the disparities.

Meanwhile, Binduri District Director of Education, John Jaggrey Soka says there will soon be an emergency meeting with the school authorities on the issue to get the caterer to resume cooking from Monday.

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In separate interviews with the Daily Graphic, the management of some second-cycle schools expressed their readiness to reopen for the commencement of the 2023 academic year.

According to the management of some of the schools, they had put in place the necessary arrangements for second- and third-year continuing students to return to school for the resumption of academic activities.

In schools with boarding facilities, fumigation exercises have been carried out.

In terms of food items, while some of the schools have received their packages, others are expected to receive theirs by the close of today.

The Daily Graphic learnt that the regional offices of the National Food Buffer Stock Company Limited have been tasked to get in touch with local foodstuffs suppliers to deliver about 20 per cent of food needs to each school.

The remaining 80 per cent of the food items are expected to be in the schools a week or two after the arrival of the students to enable the government to settle part of its more than GH¢300 million indebtedness to suppliers.

The Daily Graphic team included Emmanuel Bonney, Delali Sika, Kwadwo Baffoe Donkor, Gilbert Mawuli Agbey and Haruna Wumpini.

CHASS

The President of the Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS), Rev. Fr Stephen Owusu Sekyere, said members of CHASS were ready and prepared to receive the students.

“We are only waiting for money and food to feed the students. Aside from that, we are ready to receive them,” he told the Daily Graphic in Kumasi yesterday.

He said both teaching and non-teaching staff of the schools were ready to do their work and was hopeful that the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service (GES) would honour their commitment for the smooth running of schools.

Food

Already, Rev. Fr Sekyere said, he was aware some schools had taken delivery of food items such as maize, rice and beans, saying the rest were yet to receive theirs.

He indicated that per the information CHASS had received, food supplies were on their way to the various regions and the schools should take delivery of them by the close of today.

Money

On the issue of remittances for recurrent purchases and arrears due the schools, Rev. Fr Sekyere, who is the Headmaster of Opoku Ware Senior High School (SHS), said he had received assurance from the Director-General of the GES that money had been released to pay them.

“I have been told that some schools in the rural areas have received calls from the ARB Apex Bank to pick up their cheques,” he said.

“Those of us in the big cities who are with the Bank of Ghana, the GCB Bank and the rest are hoping that by the close of today the money will hit our accounts,” the CHASS President said.

“We need the money to hit our accounts so that we can feed the students in the evening when they report to school,” he said.

Hope

He expressed the hope that all things would go on smoothly in order to prevent any tension on the various school compounds arising out of food shortage or lack of money to affect the smooth running of the academic calender.

Accra

At the Odorgonno SHS, the Headmaster, Patrick Mensah, told Emmanuel Bonney that the school was very ready for reopening.

He confirmed that food items had started coming in and that teachers had also started their preparatory meetings.

“For human resource and logistics, they are set. The only thing we were waiting for was food, and we have seen indications it is coming in,” he said.

The authorities of the Accra High School also indicated that they were set for the resumption of academic work.

A management member who did not want to be named said the necessary arrangements were in place for school.

“All I can say is that we ready for the children to come,” the source indicated.

During a visit to the Presbyterian Boys’ SHS (PRESEC), Legon about 11 a.m. yesterday, it was observed that some of students had started arriving.

“The safety of the students is paramount to us, but we are ready to receive them. Fumigation has been done and cleaning has also been done. We are just waiting for them to come. Some boarders are in and, hopefully, by the close of the week everyone will be present,” a tutor who gave information on condition of anonymity said.

The source said everything was intact for the arrival of the students, adding: “We can’t wait to start lessons from where we ended at the end of the last academic year.”

Calm environment

At the West Africa SHS at Adentan, the school environment was quiet at the time the Daily Graphic team visited.

Sources at the school said the arrival of boarding students was slow.

They said the school was yet to get its full consignment of food items.

At the Kwabenya SHS, there was nothing going on in the school but one of the tutors who declined to give his name noted that they were ready to receive the students.

Food trickles in

From the Upper East Region, our team reports that school authorities in SHSs are ready to receive first-year and continuing students to begin the new academic year.

However, checks indicated that many of the schools had not yet received food supplies ahead of the commencement of academic work.

The Chairman of the Upper East Regional branch of CHASS, Richard Akumbas Ayabilla, said only two out of the 26 SHSs in the region had received some food items from local suppliers.

“Since the schools owe local suppliers huge sums of money, the suppliers are not willing to supply more food items, especially the perishable ones, on credit,” he said.

He called on the government to urgently make funds available to enable the schools to pay local suppliers, while awaiting food items from the Buffer Stock Company.

The Headmistress of the Bolgatanga Girls’ SHS, Patricia Agoteba Anaba, said although the staff were ready to receive the students, food items were not yet in.

However, she said the school expected to receive food items from the government by the close of yesterday.

Ms Anaba expressed the hope that while the students would start arriving from this morning, the food items would be received in time to feed them.

The Headmistress of the Kongo SHS, Gifty Ayamba, noted that the school was ready and had put in place measures to receive the students.

From Koforidua in the Eastern Region, Daily Graphic checks indicate that two schools, the Ghana SHS (GHANASS) and the Oti Boateng SHS, were fully prepared to receive continuing students.

The Headmistress of GHANASS, Patience Naki Mensah, said at least 20 boarding students had arrived as of yesterday and the kitchen staff were ready to provide them with meals.

She said under normal circumstances, such students should have waited for today to be fed along with other students who might have arrived on the opening day.

At the Oti Boateng SHS, the situation was the same and the Headmaster, John Hawkson Arthur, said adequate preparations to make boarding students feel at home on their arrival had been completed.

“We have made all the necessary arrangements to make the arriving boarding students happy to stay without any hindrance.

“Those responsible for the provision of food are also ready to play their part,” Mr Arthur said.

Buffer Stock

The Buffer Stock Company started supplies last Wednesday and would continue until bulk suppliers in charge of delivering 80 per cent of the food needs of the schools stepped in, a source at the company told the Daily Graphic.

The strategy, it said, had been adopted since it took some time for the bulk suppliers to reach the schools.

“So while waiting for that bulk to come in, we asked our regional managers to liaise with local suppliers, so that they will handle 20 per cent of supplies,” the source said.

It added that “so far the items are trickling in at the various schools”.

The source at the Buffer Stock Company added that its information collected from across the country indicated that food items were reaching the various schools.

The said students in a viral video were seen vehemently insulting the President of the Republic, Nana Akufo-Addo, over his failure to address challenges that are confronting the school and the economy at large. 

The Chairman of CHASS, Richard Akumbase, has indicated that the said students have been asked to go home pending investigations to unravel the circumstances that led to their misconduct.

“Parents of the said students have come for them, also, a committee has been set to investigate the matter. Whatever the case, we will let the public know,” he said in an interview with Class FM.

Mr Akumbase also denied the rumours that the headmistress of the school has been arrested by the Ghana Police Service.

“In fact, I called her this afternoon and we discussed a lot of issues and the committee that has been asked to investigate the matter.

“So, I’m surprised people are saying that she has been arrested. 

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“I must say that madam has not been arrested and she is doing well,” he disclosed.

“We also said that the behaviour of the students was unfortunate so we will make sure that we correct such attitudes among them and further instil moral standards across all schools,” he assured.

That, it said, was because the semester system was putting a lot of stress on school facilities, infrastructure, as well as staff and students.

“This should take place at the inception of the 2023 academic year,” a communique issued at the end of CHASS’s 60th annual conference/anniversary held in Koforidua in the Eastern Region said.

It was jointly signed by the President of CHASS, Alhaji Yakub Ahmad Bin Abubakar, and the Assistant Secretary, Baro Primus.

Recall

The change of the academic calendar from the trimester system to the semester system was done in 2018 to make room for the double-track system as part of the plans for the free SHS programme introduced to admit more qualified students.

However, after three years of free SHS, the double-track system was abandoned, while the semester system was maintained, and at any given time, two streams of students are in school to avoid congestion.

The calendar was further disrupted in 2020 following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic which forced the government to close down all schools.

To keep the academic calendar in sync, the Ministry of Education tried to introduce the semester system in pre-tertiary institutions as well, but it had to withdraw that plan following public outcry against it.

In January this year, the four teacher unions also waded in and called on the Ghana Education Service (GES) to withdraw the entire semester system at the pre-tertiary level for wider consultations with stakeholders before it was implemented.

The unions — the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), the Coalition of Concerned Teachers-Ghana (CCT-Gh) and the Teachers and Educational Workers Union (TEWU) — maintained that the unilateral change in the school calendar from the trimester system to the semester system to cover pupils at the primary and the kindergarten levels by the GES was arbitrary and an imposition on the major stakeholders in education, of which the unions were a part.

In reaction to the outcry, the Ministry of Education reinstated the trimester educational calendar for basic schools, made up of kindergarten, primary and junior high school (JHS).

The ministry explained that the reversal from the proposed semester calendar was to allow for further consultations on the issue.

“After further consultations on the issue, the Minister of Education has directed that the calendar for kindergarten to JHS for the current academic year should revert to the trimester system,” a statement issued by the Minister of Education said.

Communique

Apart from its proposal for the scrapping of the semester system, CHASS, among other things, asked the GES to, as a matter of urgency, make available the Code of Conduct for Students before the commencement of the 2023 academic year.

It said that had delayed unduly and was impacting effective discipline in SHSs.

Additionally, it said the GES must come clear on parent-teacher associations (PTAs), as the lack of clear directives on PTAs was impacting the effective relationship between PTAs and the schools.

“The PTAs are still not active in our schools. The government must come out with clear-cut directives on the activities of the PTAs to enable them to function effectively in all schools.

“This will also save heads the unfortunate queries and sanctions applied to them in their dealing with PTAs in their schools and the fact that many PTAs are now very dormant due to the unclear, unwritten moratorium placed on their activities since the inception of the free SHS policy,” it said, adding that “this emanates from the fact that the contributions and impact of PTAs in the development and smooth running of the schools cannot be underestimated, overemphasised or swept under the carpet”.

Furthermore, the communique urged the government to reconsider bringing back the incentive (motivation) package paid to staff of schools which had ceased for two years now.

The payment of that package, it said, formed part of the absorbed fees, but no provision had been made for its payment in funds released to schools.

Exams charges

CHASS also requested an upward review of the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) practical fees to GHC50 per student per subject or hand over completely the entire process to a relevant body.

That was because the current situation where schools were indirectly made to bear the cost of WASSCE practicals as a result of woefully inadequate releases was unacceptable, it said.

National President of CHASS, Alhaji Yakubu Abubakar, laments the current development, adding that the situation makes it extremely difficult for heads of schools to undertake certain school activities.

The president made this disclosure at the 60th-anniversary celebration of the Conference in Koforidua in the Eastern Region.

It was on the theme; ‘Sixty Years of Shaping Second Cycle Education in Ghana – Challenges and Successes in Contemporary Times; The Role of Stakeholders.’

On how best these schools can be run, Alhaji Abubakar wants government to allow heads of schools to actively participate in procurement processes, especially regarding furniture supply to schools.

He suggested also that government and management of the Ghana Education Service look at the function of buffer stock in the supply of food to schools at the SHS level since there have been challenges about the shortage of food in schools in recent times.

To curb electricity challenges that plunge schools into darkness due to issues with prepayment, the president called on the government to ensure that schools use postpaid metres.

The Education Minister, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, in his response said the government recognises the challenges that exist in the educational sector, explaining that the ministry is working to fix the challenges.

Admitting the tall list of challenges, the Minister noted that it doesn’t defeat what he says is significant improvement in the educational sector over the past years.

He touted the increase in enrollment from 800,000 to 1.3 million in Senior High Schools, improvement in the distribution of textbooks and infrastructure.

He added that about 50% of students are now passing the core subjects in WASSCE.

He said recurrent expenditure for the schools will be paid while schools will soon be allowed to procure local foodstuff to cook for students instead of waiting for buffer stock supply.

This is in the wake of government’s delay in the payment of 12 weeks’ funds for perishables in various Senior High Schools (SHS).

Speaking in an interview with Accra-based Citi News, Reverend Edward Azeka Williams lamented the threats by many food suppliers to suspend supplies to schools over non-payment.

“We are currently living on the benevolence of some of the suppliers. Government said we should give them two days and that they are working on it. They had earlier promised to get us the money two weeks ago.

“This is very insensitive on the part of government. How do you abandon these students for about 11 weeks and claim you are processing to get the funds?” he asked.

According to him, the funds promised by the government have yet to be deposited into their accounts.

“As of now, monies are in arrears. Some schools are now in their 12th week and still haven’t received any money. Some suppliers have even stopped supplying.

“In my school, for instance, the egg supplier has stopped, the meat supplier has threatened to stop supplying, and the firewood supplier stormed our school, and we had to find something for him,” he said.

“From breaking common school rules, using of hard drugs, pushing down school fence walls, engaging in physical fights with knives and cutlasses inflicting several cuts on themselves, and vandalizing teachers,’’ he bemoaned the indiscipline schools are faced with.

He said this while giving his speech at the 59th Conference in Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region on the topic, ‘Discipline and Child Rights in Our Senior High Schools: The Fate of the School Heads’.

“Are we in the dilemma of spare the rod and spoil the child?’’ he rhetorically asked.

He again touched on the issue of lack of funds for Senior High Schools in the region.

The Vice-Chancellor of the C.K. Tedam University of Technology and Applied Sciences, Professor Eric Magnus Willmont, also in his speech during the Conference, urged heads of schools to find other ways of instilling discipline in the students.

“Establish guidelines, school or classroom rules for behaviour in order to prevent indiscipline among students,’’ he said.

In attendance were various Heads of Senior High Schools, teachers, stakeholders, and education unions among others.

Yacoub Abubakar, the president of the Conference, said it does not augur well to congest the schools amidst the Covid-19 pandemic.

“We drew the attention of the Ghana Education Service (GES) management that given the numbers that we have in the school and with the break that we were going to attend, we suggested that they should let one batch of Form 1′ students stay at home so that all the form 3s could come to school.

“The Form 2 gold [track] will also be in school and a portion of the form 1s that we can contain in the school given the numbers that we currently have at our respective schools,” he said.

He added: “Alternatively, we said they could shift the reopening date of Form 3’s further to the date that they have currently announced, the 5th of May to enable us to contain all the Form 1’s that will be in school and then the gold Form 2’s to move on.

“That way we could have the students in school and be able to observe the Covid-19 protocols because the congestion would not have been a serious issue with us.”

The GES announced on Tuesday morning that it has rescheduled the reopening for Senior High School (SHS) Form 3 students to May 5.

In a Facebook post, it said this was after management considered a proposal from CHASS.

The Service said: “This applies to all Form 3 students (single track and double track schools). Further details will be announced. All other arrangements on the calendar remain unchanged.”

Some students and parents have, however, expressed frustration over the development and the late announcement of the latest directive.

According to some parents and students who spoke to JoyNews, they had already reached the school before they learnt of the postponement.

According to CHASS, the policy has led to the collapse of PTAs in schools across the country, accounting for many abandoned projects at various levels as well as support for schools.

Speaking at the 5th Annual Conference of CHASS at Wesley Girls High School in Cape Coast, president of the Conference, Yakub Abubakar urged the Ghana Education Service (GES) and other stakeholders to consider a reversal of the policy to ensure effective implementation and positive outcomes.

“The observation of the Conference is that PTA activities are gradually dying in our schools. Hitherto, the PTAs were playing very significant roles in our schools,” he said.

He further highlighted the benefits of PTAs in schools stating that, the Associations in the past, used to push schools when there were delays in release of funds, however, this is no longer possible in the free SHS era.

He said schools are not able to run efficiently as a result.

“At present, even though there are delays in release of funds , schools do not have the leverage like PTAs to assist them and so making the effective administration of schools problematic,” he added.

“If a policy is in place and for the past three years and it is not working, then we need to take another look at it,” he said.

In addition, CHASS raised concerns over the quality of the buffer stock in Senior High Schools.

He said that even though the Buffer Stock has ensured that the mandate given to it to supply food across the country was carried out, there are many complaints from the schools regarding quality and quantity of the food.

“The Buffet Stock should be seen to be operating according to their mandate and not as middle men who quickly react to changes in market prices by either valuing their supplies and sometimes not supplying at all. A typical example currently is of groundnut and mackerel,” he said.

CHASS also berated the delays in the development of the new code of conduct for schools, stating that schools are struggling in ensuring discipline.

They further called for a review of the portion of the feeding grant given to schools, advocating an uplift from 30% given to schools to a minimum of 40%

According to CHASS, school authorities should have initiated the necessary steps to deal with the culprits when it began.

“When we encountered this situation on the first day of the exam, the ring leaders should have been identified and dealt with to serve as a deterrent to others.

“But we rather had authorities begging them to come and sit for the exam which makes them feel pampered,” he bemoaned.

President of CHASS, Alhaji Yacoub Abubarkar, on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen said the free Senior High School (SHS) policy in a way has contributed to the problem.

“The free SHS has paved way for everything to be at their disposal so there is no pressure on them. They are not chased for fees and other things so they are not placing enough value on what they are benefitting from,” he said.

Mr Abubarkar’s comments follow viral videos of protests in various schools by some final year students who are the first beneficiaries of the Free SHS policy.

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Some of the students in the videos spew diatribes against the president after their ‘apor’ (leaked question papers) swerved.

Some students of the Tweneboa Kodua SHS in the Ashanti region also boycotted the exam on Monday due to the “strict” invigilation in the exam hall.

The Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS) is worried parents don’t still understand the free Senior High School (SHS) policy.

President of CHASS, Victor Yanni said some parents are hiding under the free SHS system to shirk their responsibility towards the upkeep of their children.

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Implementation of the free Senior High School (SHS) education policy was rolled out in September when the 2017/2018 academic year began.

The free SHS policy implies the absorption of all approved fees currently charged to students in public SHS and TVET Institutions.

Parents heaved a sigh of relief when the Akufo-Addo government successfully implemented the programme but not without headaches to school heads as some parents just dispatch their children to school without money and provisions, thinking that all of it has been absorbed by the government.

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A situation, Mr Yanni told Adom FM’s morning show Dwaso Nsem is very worrying.

He revealed that some children come to school without toiletries, bed sheets and even a pen to write.

“Most parents think everything is free so children come to school with toilet roll, bed sheets, clothes and even pen to write,” he stated.

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The CHASS President maintained that government’s interventions are introduced to offer support to parents and not to replace the responsibility parents have towards the education of their wards.

Mr Yanni added that the practice has gained notoriety in many Ghanaian societies and needs to change to help the children grow well.

He said this anomaly will affect the quality of students admitted to schools and the educational system at large.

Meanwhile the Deputy Minister in charge of Secondary Education Dr. Yaw Adu Twum has disclosed that funds for the Free SHS will be released tomorrow to facilitate its implementation.

Speaking at the opening of the 55th Congress of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS) the minister indicated that challenges encountered by students under the computer placement system have been rectified and over 70 thousand students will be logged automatically onto the general placement system.

He urged heads of institutions to uphold the reforms and policies of the Free SHS to ensure its success.

General Secretary of CHASS, Psalm Gyebi said they are prepared to ensure government’s flagship policy is implemented smoothly.

Over 420,000 eligible students will start academic work next week to kick start the implementation of government’s flagship free SHS policy.

Under this policy government will foot all bills from feeding, schools fees, and other charges.

But a lot of people are skeptical about the policy when in the past headmasters have complained about the late payment of government subsidies.

Speaking on Adom FM’s morning show Dwaso Nsem Wednesday, Mr. Gyebi said they are few hitches in the process to roll out the programme.

He indicated that, they are yet to receive funds and other logistics to start the free SHS policy.

The CHASS General Secretary noted that, although various senior high schools across the country are ready, the lack of funds may stall efforts to roll out the programme.

Psalm Gyebi also urged parents whose wards have gained admission to go the schools for the prospectors before they reopen on September 11, 2017.