The government has released GHC200 million to support the feeding of students in senior high schools across Ghana, according to Felix Kwakye Ofosu, spokesperson for President Mahama.

The funding is part of a series of interventions aimed at addressing recent concerns about food shortages in schools.

The move follows reports of inadequate supplies and an appeal by the Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS) to the Ghana Education Service (GES) to reconsider the reopening of schools due to unresolved financial issues. A primary concern raised by CHASS was the government’s delayed payment for perishable food items supplied in the previous academic year. Despite these challenges, the GES declined to postpone reopening.

Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on Tuesday, January 21, Mr. Kwakye Ofosu disclosed that substantial engagements had taken place between key stakeholders, including the Chief of Staff, the GES leadership, the Ministry of Education, and representatives from CHASS. These discussions led to the immediate distribution of non-perishable food items to schools nationwide.

“As I speak to you, I can disclose that up to 200 million cedis has been released to address that difficulty,” Mr. Kwakye Ofosu confirmed, assuring students and administrators of the government’s commitment to resolving the crisis.

The spokesperson highlighted the government’s plan to decentralize the procurement of food items for senior high schools to address systemic inefficiencies.

“It is the policy of the government to ensure that the purchase of food items is decentralized because the decentralisation of this process caused this kind of problem. Huge sums of money were held over time, which led to suppliers making demands for their money. So ultimately, the process will be decentralized,” he explained.

While acknowledging that non-perishable food items have been distributed to many schools, he added that measures are underway to ensure all schools receive adequate supplies.

“As far as I know, many schools have received it, and in due course, all of them should receive as much as they need,” he said.

These efforts are part of the government’s broader initiative to address logistical challenges within the education sector. By ensuring the timely supply of food to schools, the administration aims to guarantee that students have the necessary support to focus on their education.

The intervention comes as reassurance to stakeholders concerned about the impact of food shortages on the Free Senior High School policy, which remains a cornerstone of the government’s commitment to expanding access to quality education in Ghana.