SHS heads demand outstanding funds payment before reopening of schools

The Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS) has asked the government to settle outstanding funds to various public Senior High Schools across the country before next academic year begins in January 2025.

In a statement sighted by GhanaEducation.org dated Friday, December 21, 2024, the Conference of Heads of Schools called on the government to settle all outstanding bills to enable them to run their schools effectively.

It said although the central government has released some funds to certain Senior High Schools, these disbursements have not fully addressed critical issues.

“While we acknowledge some recent disbursements of funds to schools, we regret to inform you that this release has not fully resolved the critical financial needs of our institutions,” CHASS noted in the statement.

CHASS pointed out that some of the funds the government owes to schools include arrears for perishable items, funds for day schools and single-track schools, funds for transporting food items from distribution centres to schools, funds for essential utility bills, and recurrent funding for the schools.

The Conference said “These funds are critical for the successful reopening of schools in January,” adding that “without these resources, school heads will face insurmountable challenges in managing daily operations.”

The statement further warned that the government’s failure to pay the funds would result in poor management of the nation’s secondary institutions and negatively impact students’ well-being.

The Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS) has also threatened to take action regarding the reopening of schools in January 2025.

“We will advise against the resumption of the academic calendar,” the statement concluded, “should the government fail to disburse the funds.”

In other news, the Conference of Heads of Private Second-Cycle Schools (CHOPSS) has asked the government to settle the debt owed to the West African Examinations Council to enable WAEC to release the 2024 WASSCE for School results.

In a statement, the Conference of Heads of Private Second-Cycle Schools indicated that students from private schools who sat for the examination and paid their WASSCE registration fees are unfairly affected by the delay in the release of the results.

“The government’s failure to address this issue promptly is deeply unfair to private schools, parents, and students,” the Conference of Heads of Private Second-Cycle Schools stated in the press statement dated December 22, 2024.