The National Democratic Congress (NDC) is calling on the government to, as a matter of urgency, review its flagship education programme, the Free SHS policy.
In a statement copied to this website, the NDC in the Upper East Region, led by its Regional Communication Officer, Jonathan Salifu Abdallah, explained that the challenges with the Free SHS programme have become too many.
It would be recalled that students of Our Lady of Lourdes Girls’ Senior High School in the Kassena-Nankana Municipality of the Upper East Region protested on Monday, May 22, 2023, over what they described as “poor and tasteless” food prepared for them over the past weeks.
According to them, the school has been preparing rice-related meals with few ingredients for their consumption for the past week without changing varieties.
The situation, they say, has caused some of their colleagues to begin having some serious health complications, thereby calling for a change in food preparation.
A video that went viral on social media showed the students chanting that they would not eat rice again. “We need change,” they screamed.
One of the distinct voices in the video could be heard saying, “We will not eat this tasteless food again; we want change. We want change.”
According to the NDC, the only way to address the incessant challenges, would be to hold a national conversation around the programme, in line with a call made by former President John Dramani Mahama.
“The Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government should be contrite and accept H. E. John Mahama’s recommendation for a review of the Free Senior High School Program, which has recently been given credence by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). This will help resolve the program’s challenges and increase its sustainability and investment value. The NDC stands ready to work with the government in finding sustainable solutions to the perennial food shortage crisis in our senior high schools. We believe that by prioritising the well-being of our students, we as a country can secure a brighter future for Ghana and to meet SDG 4 and 2. Therefore, we urge the government to act swiftly and decisively, putting the needs of the students at the forefront of their Agenda,” the statement said.
Read full statement here: THE NDC- UPPER EAST REGION DEMANDS IMMEDIATE ACTION FROM GOVERNMENT TO ADDRESS FOOD SHORTAGE IN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOLS IN THE REGION.
Source: A1radioonline.com|101.1MHz|Mark Kwasi Ahumah Smith|Ghana
