Close SHSs to address feeding, other issues – PTAs tell government

The National Council of Parent-Teacher Associations (NCPTAs) has urged the government to temporarily close Senior High Schools (SHSs) until critical issues surrounding feeding and other logistical challenges are resolved.

Speaking to Daily Graphic on Thursday, January 10, 2025, Raphael Kofi Gapson, the General Secretary of the NCPTAs, expressed deep concerns over the dire situation in schools since their reopening on Friday, January 3, 2025.

“Nothing is functioning properly in the schools. All the assurances from the previous government about funding for feeding and addressing operational challenges have not been fulfilled,” he lamented.

Feeding and Funding Crisis

Mr. Gapson revealed that schools are severely under-resourced, lacking sufficient food for boarding students and funds to sustain daily operations. He criticized the government’s approach to the free SHS policy, stating that it had become unsustainable.

“You cannot claim to support feeding in schools and then provide only 20-30% of the required resources. How can schools operate effectively with such inadequate supplies?” he questioned.

To keep schools running, PTAs have stepped in to fill critical gaps. Many schools, he explained, rely on PTA funds to hire additional cooks, provide extra classes, and even pay for security personnel.

“PTA contributions have become a lifeline, used to support feeding, utilities, sports, cultural activities, and other essential needs that the government has neglected,” Mr. Gapson said.

CHASS’s Prior Warnings

The NCPTAs’ concerns echo warnings from the Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS). On December 31, 2024, CHASS issued a statement urging the Ghana Education Service to postpone reopening until the government addressed unpaid debts related to food, operations, and transportation costs.

Despite repeated appeals since August 2024, the government had failed to settle arrears, leaving schools struggling to meet basic needs. CHASS’s National Secretary, Baro Primus, even directed regional branches to notify parents about a potential reopening delay, warning that school heads who defied the directive would face sanctions.

Government Criticism

Mr. Gapson accused the previous government of politicizing the education system and suppressing critical information. He argued that CHASS had often been used as a political tool, only recently admitting the severity of the crisis.

“CHASS has finally acknowledged that, for over two and a half years, the government’s lackadaisical attitude has exacerbated feeding and funding challenges in SHSs,” he said.

The NCPTAs believes that schools should have remained closed to allow stakeholders to resolve these systemic issues.

“We should have sent students home, taken the necessary time to fix this mess, and reopened schools in a more conducive environment for learning,” Mr. Gapson said, emphasizing the importance of creating a safe and functional school climate.

The Call for Action

The NCPTAs has urged all key stakeholders to come together to find lasting solutions to the crisis.

“Parents would prefer their children to be home, safe, and well-fed rather than in schools that lack basic necessities,” Mr. Gapson stated.

The General Secretary also highlighted challenges at the basic school level, pointing out that the capitation grant has been in arrears for over two and a half years.

“This is not just a secondary school problem. The entire education system requires urgent attention and reform,” he concluded.

The NCPTAs reaffirmed its commitment to supporting schools but stressed that the government must address the crisis to ensure a sustainable path forward for education in Ghana.