The Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS) has assured that senior high schools across the country will not be shut down as the government moves to clear outstanding feeding arrears.
According to CHASS, the assurance follows indications that funds have been processed to address long-standing delays in the payment of feeding grants, which have placed pressure on school administrations in recent weeks.
Speaking in an interview on Joy FM’s Top Story on Monday, the National Secretary of CHASS, Primus Baro, said heads of schools have been informed that the funds are expected to reflect in their accounts soon.
He explained that once the monies are received, schools will be able to stabilise feeding operations and manage existing challenges.
“We’ve had assurance from our authorities that the money is sitting and will hit our accounts. If it does, we should be able to manage the situation,” he stated.
Mr. Baro stressed that although schools remain operational, their ability to sustain feeding programmes depends on the timely release and adequacy of the funds.
“If the money hits our accounts, we should be able to manage the situation and it will be stabilised,” he added.
CHASS has previously indicated that the government owed senior high schools feeding grants nationwide, a backlog that had significantly affected school management and triggered fears of possible shutdowns in some schools.
The association noted that while funds are expected to be disbursed, the actual impact will only be known once allocations are credited to individual school accounts.
“We can only know the reality of our situation after the money starts hitting the various school accounts. Then we will be able to tell whether it is substantial or not,” Mr. Baro explained.
He added that disbursements are expected to be based on student population, meaning the effect will vary across schools but follow a national allocation structure.
CHASS further cautioned that the sustainability of school feeding programmes will depend on whether the released funds are sufficient to clear accumulated debts and support ongoing needs.
Meanwhile, CHASS has urged the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service to strengthen funding systems to prevent recurring delays in the Free SHS feeding programme.
