Students at the senior high schools in the Upper East Region may be compelled to feed themselves or rely on parents and guardians to do so. This is because schools have run out of food ingredients. The students may also be forced to provide their own furniture and clothing because of the inability of the government to fulfil its obligations.
These actions would be taken if the government refuses to address the concerns itemised by CHASS within a week.
This was contained in a letter signed by the Regional Chairman of the Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS) and sighted by a1radioonline.com
According to the letter that was sighted, the schools have run out of sugar, maize, millet, bread flour et al.
Below is the full statement
A RESOLUTION BY THE UPPER EAST CHASS AT THE END OF ITS REGIONAL CONFERENCE HELD AT THE CHIANA SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL 30th JUNE, 2022
The Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS), Upper East, held its Regional Conference at the Chiana Senior High School on the 30th of June, 2022.
Discussions centred on the following:
- Shortage of food in the various schools
- Unavailability of funds for the running of schools
- Insufficient furniture in the schools
- Challenges associated with the procurement of various uniforms
- Shortage of food in the various schools in the Region The following food items were generally in short supply in the region
Rice, Maize, Beans, Gari, Millet, Peanut, Sugar, Vegetable oil, Bread flour, Mackerel and Sardine.
The problem regarding food shortage was as a result of refusal of suppliers to supply. Suppliers claim they have not been paid for huge supplies they earlier delivered. According to them, Government’s indebtedness to them is so huge that they are unable to raise funds to further supply food to the schools. Their additional worry is that the value of their monies locked up with Government is declining very fast, considering rising inflation.
The few suppliers who agree to supply, give under-weight bags to the schools. For instance, instead of 100kg, suppliers give between 50kg and 60kg to the schools, complaining of low prices paid by the National Food Buffer Stock Company.
- Unavailability of funds to run the schools
For the past one year, no money has been released to the Boarding schools for recurrent expenditure. This has compelled the schools to accumulate huge debts. The creditors are no longer prepared to supply anything on credit to the schools. Schools cannot run their school vehicles due to huge bills at the filling stations.
Funds for perishables are released in bits to the schools making it difficult for the schools to plan properly. Such releases are also very erratic such that after one release, the schools are unable to tell when again the next release will be made, making any form of planning a near impossibility.
- Insufficient furniture in the schools.
Most of the schools in the region have not received furniture from the Ghana Education Service since the inception of the Free Senior High School policy. PTAs which were procuring furniture to schools have since not been able to do so due to the new directives for the operation of PTAS. Heads in the various schools in the Region do not have sufficient furniture for the students to sit and learn, a situation that does not promote effective teaching and learning
- Challenges associated with the procurement of various uniforms. Suppliers of outing wear uniforms for the 2020/2021 first year students in most schools in the Region are yet to be paid. Same applies to dressmakers who sewed the school cloth for first year students of the same period. This is posing some challenges with the procurement of these uniforms during this academic year.
RESOLUTION
At the end of the conference, the membership of conference resolved that If nothing is done to address the above challenges within a one-week period;
- Heads of Senior High Schools in the Region will be compelled to ask students to feed themselves while in school.
- Heads of Senior High Schools will suspend all activities that require the use of recurrent fees including Physical Education Recreation and Sports, Culture, Inspections, Cadet and other co-curricular activities.
- Heads will be compelled to ask students to come along with their own furniture so as to make teaching and learning effective.
We hope urgent attention will be given to the challenges outlined above so as to avert the situation whereby our members will resort to the implementation of the resolution agreed upon. Thank you in anticipation of your usual urgent response.
Source: A1radioonline.com|101.1MHz|Mark Kwasi Ahumah Smith|Ghana
