The Heads of Private Second Cycle Schools (CHOPSS) believe that if the previous administration had included private schools in the implementation of the free Senior School policy, the feeding challenges would have been avoided.
He was reacting to concerns raised by the Conference of Heads of Assisted Senior High Schools (CHASS) over feeding challenges confronting the free SHS policy.
CHASS has urged parents and guardians to assist with the feeding challenges in senior high schools.
The National Secretary of CHASS, Primus Baro, in a media interview, stated that the situation in high schools is dire, with many institutions having to ration food.
“I encourage parents, and I have already advised my PTA to this effect, to let their children bring food like gari, shitor, and sugar to supplement whatever the school provides. I urge parents across the country, as the food situation has still not improved in the past two and three years, and it has worsened at this particular time.
“Food supplies are not reaching the schools. In places like Upper West, Upper East, and the Northern regions, apart from rice, the schools have no stable food supplies. Oil is completely unavailable. For example, in my school, I currently don’t have a single drop of oil, so my matron has been using margarine to replace oil for cooking. I don’t have maize or beans—only rice and some gari,” he added.
In response, the public relations officer for CHOPSS stated that the previous administration refused to include them in the policy implementation despite having the means and logistics to provide the necessary services.
Speaking on Rainbow Radio 87.5FM’s Frontline, he stated that while they had better facilities than some public schools, they were ignored.
‘’We can understand the pressure CHASS is going through. The challenge is unfortunate but could have been avoided. We understand them and sympathise with them. These are some of the challenges why several parents are withdrawing their wards and sending them to private schools. The policy is free, but if the parents are spending so much on provisions, then they will prefer sending their wards to the private schools where they are assured of a very good learning environment, good food to eat, and are controlled also. We will appeal to the government with an immediate effect call on parliament to vet the ministers-designate for energy, finance, and education to help address the challenges confronting these sectors. If we should get all these ministers-designate approved and start work, it would be prudent.”
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana