CHASS Calls on Parents to Address Food Shortages in Senior High Schools
The Conference of Heads of Assisted Senior High Schools (CHASS) has called on parents to provide supplementary food supplies for their children attending senior high schools. This plea follows severe food shortages affecting schools under Ghana’s Free SHS program due to delayed government payments for supplies.
Speaking to Joy News, CHASS National Secretary Primus Baro revealed the gravity of the situation. “Food supplies are critically low in many schools,” he stated. Regions like the Upper West, Upper East, and Northern regions are experiencing the worst shortages, with schools struggling to provide adequate meals and basic items like cooking oil completely unavailable.
CHASS has advised parents to send food items such as gari, shito, and sugar with their children to help bridge the gap. While acknowledging that this is not a long-term solution, Baro stressed its necessity to ensure students receive proper nutrition during the crisis.
The Free SHS program, which aims to make education accessible to all, continues to face challenges including inadequate resources, delayed funding, and logistical issues. Despite these challenges, schools have resumed operations, but the food crisis highlights the urgent need for improved funding and planning.