It has been reported that Senior High Schools (SHS) continue to struggle with severe food shortages, with students now forced to eat the same meals up to three times daily. The crisis caused by the lack of government funds since August 16, 2024 has driven some schools to buy perishable items such as tomatoes, onions and fish on credit. However, schools still find it difficult to purchase basic supplies like ginger, sausages and cooking salt due to mounting debts with suppliers.
Salamatu Braimah, the National Chairman of the Teachers and Educational Workers Union (TEWU), has expressed concern over the situation and stated that many school staff feel helpless in the face of these ongoing challenges. Madam Braimah explained that while some food is available, the lack of variety is alarming. Some schools are living only on rice, with students taking rice water in the morning and rice meals for both lunch and dinner, she told JoyNews.
This is not the first time Senior High Schools in the country have faced a shortage of food items. It is deeply concerning that our Senior High Schools are once again grappling with severe food shortages, leaving students with little to no variety in their meals and forcing them to endure repetitive diets of rice or maize. This unfortunate situation not only affects students’ nutrition but also their learning environment and overall well-being.
That schools are struggling to provide even the most basic meals is a troubling indication of the depth of the crisis and one that demands immediate government attention. These limited diets, while keeping hunger at bay, lack the essential nutrients needed for physical and mental development. Over time, repetitive diets can weaken students’ health, concentration, and ability to focus in class. Our students deserve better than repetitive, inadequate meals that undermine their education and health.
According to reports, since mid-August, schools across the country have not received the necessary funds to secure adequate food supplies. As a result, they have been forced to buy perishable items like tomatoes, onions and fish on credit, while other essentials such as ginger, sausages and even salt, remain unattainable. This mounting debt burden with suppliers is unsustainable and indicative of a failing system that urgently needs reform.
The current recurrence of this issue signals a fundamental problem within the Free SHS food supply system. Many parents and stakeholders have called on the government to decentralise the food supply, arguing that schools could better manage resources and address local needs if given the autonomy.
The Ministry of Education and other relevant authorities must not allow this crisis to continue unchecked. Decentralising the food supply system, as many have suggested, could allow schools to partner directly with local suppliers, fostering a more efficient, responsive and accountable process. This shift could not only ease the strain on SHSs but also benefit local farmers and businesses, creating a sustainable loop that strengthens both education and the local economy.
For a country that prides itself on the promise of Free SHS as a pathway to equal opportunity, failing to provide students with nutritious, diverse meals undercuts the very purpose of this initiative. It is time for the government to step up and ensure that no Ghanaian student is left to study on an empty or nutritionally insufficient plate.
