A high-level stakeholder meeting convened by Ghana’s Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, to resolve challenges affecting the feeding component of the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) programme has ended in a stalemate, raising fresh concerns over the policy’s sustainability.
The closed-door meeting, held on Friday, brought together key institutions involved in implementing the programme, including the Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS), the Conference of Principals of Technical Institutions (COPTI), and the Free SHS Secretariat.
The engagement followed a formal petition by CHASS highlighting “severe operational challenges,” particularly in procuring perishable food items for students. COPTI echoed similar concerns, warning of mounting pressure on school authorities struggling to sustain daily feeding under the flagship programme.
“We are facing serious difficulties in securing perishable food items for our students,” a CHASS representative reportedly told the meeting. “Without urgent intervention, the situation could worsen.”
After listening to the concerns, Mr. Iddrisu directed that GETFund should “maintain the existing arrangement that allows CHASS to independently procure perishable food items” to support feeding operations.
However, the directive was strongly opposed by the Administrator of GETFund, leading to a tense standoff. According to sources present, the Administrator challenged the Minister’s authority on procurement matters, stating that “I do not fall under the Minister’s oversight in procurement decisions and will not comply with that directive.”
The disagreement resulted in a deadlock, leaving the central issue unresolved and exposing apparent coordination gaps among key implementing agencies.
In the meantime, CHASS has issued a stark warning, cautioning that schools may be forced to shut down if immediate financial support is not provided. “We may have no option but to suspend academic activities if funds are not released to procure essential food items,” another representative said.
The inconclusive outcome has heightened fears of disruptions to the Free SHS feeding programme, potentially affecting thousands of students across the country.
Stakeholders are expected to reconvene in the coming days in an effort to reach a consensus and secure a sustainable path forward for the programme.
By Daniel Opoku
