SHSs in the north reopen for academic work
Reports from our correspondents in the three regions in the north indicate that senior high schools (SHSs) in the Northern and Upper East regions have finally reopened for all students from form one to continue their academic work.
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However, second cycle schools in the Upper West Region are yet to reopen as they await the release of government’s feeding grants for the schools.
The latest development followed a directive issued to all SHSs in the region to reopen to all form one and two students as a result of an assurance from the government that the feeding grants would be released to the SHSs in two weeks.
Initially, the heads of the institutions planned to re-open for only SHS Three students as they await the release of government’s feeding grants.
From Tamale, Samuel Duodu reports that SHSs in the three northern regions initially decided to reopen for only final-year students (form three students) because of the delay in the release of their feeding grants.
The Director of Education in charge of the Northern and Upper East regions, Mr Paul Apanga, who disclosed this to the Daily Graphic in Tamale, said a new directive had been issued asking all SHSs in the region to reopen to all form one and two students.
He stated that all form one and two students should be in their respective schools by now.
Release of the feeding grants
Mr Apanga stated further that the issue concerning the delay in the release of the feeding grants had been resolved and letters had been sent to all the schools in the region to reopen to all categories of students.
A visit by this reporter to some of the schools in the Tamale metropolis showed that some of the form one and two students have started reporting to school.
Among the schools visited were the Kalpohin SHS, Tamale SHS (TAMASCO), Ghana SHS (GHANASCO) and the Northern Business School (NABUSCO).
Although schools in the country reopened last week, schools in the Upper West Region remained practically on an extended vacation in the wake of the uncertainty over when government grant for feeding would be released, writes Michael Quaye, Wa.
Second cycle schools in the region are indebted to a number of suppliers of food items who have resolved not to supply further items on credit until the earlier debts are paid.
Three headteachers who spoke to the Daily Graphic on condition of anonymity said they had no idea when they would accept students back to school for academic work.
They also said the situation was beyond their control since the welfare of the students was critical and they would not want to compromise that when the students returned to school.
"I don't know how we would feed them if we should accept them back to school now," one of them said.
The government owes food suppliers to the schools, for supplies in the past academic year, at least.
Currently, only SHS Three students are in school preparing for their final year examinations.
From Bolgatanga, Alhandu Abdul-Hamid reports that first and second year students of second cycle institutions in the Upper East Region have been asked to join their seniors in school, pending the release of feeding grants from the government.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic, the Upper East Regional President of the Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS), Mr Patrick Tandonyire, said an announcement had been made on a radio station asking heads of institutions to let the first and second year students join their senior colleagues.
Assurance by government
He said following an assurance that the feeding grants would be released in two weeks, they would make contingency plans to feed the students pending the release of the money but added that in case they did not receive the grants in two weeks, they would meet again to determine the way forward.
When Daily Graphic visited some of the schools, the third-year students were busily studying while the heads of institutions said they were prepared to receive the first and second-year students.
The Headmaster of Zamse Senior Technical High School (ZAMSTECH), Mr Banbogo Francis, said they would have to contact their suppliers and plead with them for food, hoping the government would fulfill its promise to release the grant to them to enable them to get some supplies from their suppliers on credit.
He indicated that their major challenge now would be the weekly purchase of ingredients from the market and said in the worst situation, they would have to fall on their internally generated funds for this purpose.
A visit to the Bolgatanga Senior High School (BIG BOSS) also revealed that the third-year students were in school and expected to be joined by the first and second-year students who would report in the evening. The headmaster of the school said the school was ready to receive them.
