The Conference of Heads of Basic Schools (COHBS) has made a formal request to the government to expand the School Feeding Programme to include Junior High School students.
This appeal was made during the 2nd Quadrennial Conference held in Tepa, where new executives were elected to lead COHBS for the next four years in the Ahafo Ano North Municipal.
The Ashanti Regional Secretary for COHBS, Mr Asare Kingsley, emphasised the need to extend the programme to JHS students, citing that many are unable to feed themselves while in school.
He stated that the current exclusion of JHS students from the programme is a significant gap that needs to be addressed, as some students rely on the programme to attend school.
Mr Kingsley noted that other categories of students, such as nursing and teacher trainees, as well as some secondary school students, are benefiting from similar initiatives.
“The school feeding programme is a laudable programme benefiting basic school students. In some cases, nursing and teacher trainees benefit from free feeding, while students in secondary schools are also getting free feeding, but JHS students have been excluded. This is a gap that must be dealt with. It is a major challenge, and we are appealing to the authorities to address it. Some students come to school hoping to get food, but this is not happening, and it is discouraging them from attending school. That is why we are appealing to the government to address this concern.”
In a related address, the municipal director of education, Mrs Grace Oppong Agyapong, urged head teachers of basic schools to take ownership of their role in managing basic education and strive for improved teaching and learning outcomes.
She emphasised that head teachers are crucial members of the education management team and should work diligently to ensure quality education.
“Headteachers should see themselves as part of the directorate and have a responsibility in promoting teaching and learning. They are managers of education at the grassroots level. They should not undermine their efforts because they are management members tasked with ensuring quality teaching and learning.”
Mrs Agyapong also encouraged the newly elected executives to build on the successes of their predecessors and contribute to transforming education in the country.
“To the newly elected executives, I encourage them to build on the success of the previous executive members. The previous executive members helped the directorate promote quality teaching and learning, and we want the newly elected members to build on that legacy.”
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
