The Ministry of Education (MoE) has indicated that government has released some GH₵198 million to the ministry to be disbursed to the Free Senior High School (FSHS) and the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions.
According to the Spokesperson for the Ministry of Education, Kwasi Kwarteng, the ministry has received these funds from the government purposely to support their feeding at the second cycle level of education.
The MoE has, therefore, released an amount of GH₵126 million, covering non-perishable food items to the National Food Buffer Stock Company, and Gh₵72,106,603 covering perishable food items & recurring expenditure to all Senior High and TVET schools across the country.
The release of funds from the government comes on the back of the erratic food supply to schools across the country for some time now. This situation has resulted in some heads of Senior High Schools across the country threatening to shut down as the food shortage situation worsens.
It would be remembered that around mid-year, the Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS) issued a communiqué stressing that if nothing is done to avert the worsening food shortage situation in their schools, students would be asked to go home until enough supply is received from the Food Buffer Stock Company.
The MoE debunked the claim but later alluded to the shortage in supply of perishable foods and highlighted that the government is making provisions to settle outstanding debts with the Buffer Stock to ensure food is supplied to the schools, and the release of funds is in fulfillment of that promise.
“The ministry further reiterates its dedication to ensuring smooth and effective distribution of other resources in its quest to improve and sustain quality education in Ghana,” he stated in a press statement.
Mr. Kwarteng has, therefore, assured the public that the ministry is committed to ensuring the timely supply of adequate and quality food items to all second-cycle institutions.
Background to food shortage
On July 21, the Minister for Education, Dr. Yaw Osei-Adutwum, confirmed that government owes the National Food Buffer Stock Company an outstanding amount of GH¢340 million.
This revelation was made on the floor of the Parliament House while explaining that the indebtedness to the company and other factors have occasioned a shortage of food items in some high schools in the country.
Dr. Osei-Adutwum emphasised that government was working toward clearing the debt and ending the food shortage in Senior High Schools.
