T.I. Ahmadiyya SHS Students Appeal for Urgent Government Support Amid Food Shortage

Following the reopening of schools for Form 3 students, Free SHS students at Salaga T.I. Ahmadiyya Senior High School have called on the government to release funds to be used for feeding students in various public schools.

According to a news item by Graphic.com.gh, sighted by Ghana Education News, the students have appealed for urgent intervention to address food shortages and the delayed release of funds.

The students argued that releasing the funds for feeding will help ensure their academic calendar is not disrupted following their return to school on Friday, 3rd January 2025.

The call comes after the government refused to heed advice from the Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS) to reschedule the school reopening until funds for feeding students are released.

The GES did not align with CHASS’s recommendation and instead released a statement confirming the reopening dates for both secondary and basic schools.

CHASS had appealed for the release of funds to settle pending debts owed to food suppliers, among other financial obligations, at the SHS level.

Per Graphic sources, T.I. Ahmadiyya Senior High School in Salaga can only boast of a few bags of rice and two gallons of cooking oil remaining in stock, which is expected to last less than two weeks. This has sparked anxiety among students, particularly final-year students preparing for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).

“We’ve been informed by the school management that the available food can only last for a short time. If the government doesn’t intervene quickly, students will continue to suffer, and schools might even shut down,” one student told Graphic Online’s Simon Unyan.

School authorities fearing the situation confirmed to Graphic Online that no funds had been disbursed in the accounts to address the crisis.

“We have just a few bags of rice and two gallons of cooking oil, which will not sustain us beyond two weeks if more students report. We are calling on the government to act swiftly,” a school official stated.

As of Friday afternoon, only about 20 students had reported to the school, according to Graphic Online’s Simon Unyan, who visited the campus. Both students and school authorities are urging the government to act promptly to avert further disruptions and ensure a smooth academic term.