Free SHS: Feeding challenges have been resolved – Haruna Iddrisu

The Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has assured Ghanaians that the government has provided sufficient funds to ensure that students in senior high schools receive adequate food under the Free Senior High School program.

The Minister explained that the government reviewed how the Free SHS policy is working and identified challenges, particularly with food supply and student feeding.

He said they have put measures in place to address these issues so that students can continue their academic activities without interruptions.

Haruna Iddrisu made this promise while opening the National Teaching Council’s regional office complex in Tamale. He emphasized the government’s commitment to improving the Free SHS policy.

During his speech, the Minister acknowledged that food shortages had caused problems for some schools in the Free SHS program, leading to disruptions and forcing students to go home early.

However, he stressed that the government has now secured sufficient resources to prevent these issues from recurring.

“Having examined the feeding of Free Senior High School students, we realised that there were many times that schools had to be closed down or, in the course of the academic year, students had to be asked to go home because there was inadequate food. That is now a thing of the past.”

The Education Minister stated that the government has strengthened financing arrangements for the programme through the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund), which he said would ensure consistent support for the policy.

“There are adequate resources and adequate funding from GetFund to finance Free Senior High School.”