Free SHS: GH₵ 7.50p feeding fee per student not enough – CHASS

Primus Baro, National Secretary of the Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS), has described the current feeding fee of GH₵ 7.50 per student in Senior High Schools as insufficient.

Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on Thursday, January 16, Baro responded to a question from host Kojo Yankson about whether the amount was adequate to feed a child. “My immediate response to that is that it is not enough,” he stated.

While acknowledging the inadequacy of the current feeding allocation, Mr. Baro urged patience, citing the challenges facing the new government. “Considering the transitional issues and the critical problem of food shortages, we need to manage the situation for now,” he said.

However, he expressed optimism that discussions with government officials would eventually lead to a review of the feeding allowance. “I believe there will be a forum to reassess these figures and agree on something more realistic—something that balances the government’s ability to pay with a minimum acceptable standard for feeding the students,” he added.

Currently, the GH₵ 7.50 allocated per student covers three meals a day. Of this amount, GH₵ 2.50 is earmarked for purchasing perishable foods, while the remaining GH₵ 5.00 is used by the government to procure non-perishable items, which are distributed to schools.

Baro also addressed the ongoing food shortages in schools across the country. He revealed that a meeting had been held with government representatives, who assured him that additional funds would be made available by Friday, January 17, to alleviate the crisis.

In addition, President John Mahama has directed that food supplies originally intended for victims of last year’s drought in northern Ghana be diverted to schools. These supplies, currently stored in warehouses at Tema Port, are expected to help ease the shortages.

At the basic education level, the government allocates just GH₵ 1.20 per child under the school feeding program, further highlighting the need for a review of the feeding budget across all educational levels.