Food Shortage Hampering Smooth Academic Work in Schools – CHASS laments

Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS) has lamented the inability of the National Buffer Stock Company to supply food items to Senior High Schools across the country.

According to CHASS, the shortages are constraining academic work across the country and making it near impossible to keep second-cycle schools open.

The Conference said feeding students has become a challenge that needs urgent attention.

President of CHASS, Rev. Fr. Steve Owusu Sekyere, who doubles as the headmaster of Opoku Ware Senior High School in Kumasi, urged the National Food Buffer Stock Company to expedite the disbursement of food items to avert further challenges.

Rev. Sekyere who was speaking on Citi FM’s Eyewitness News on Tuesday evening, monitored by Ghananewsonline.com.gh said the Buffer Company had made some food disbursements which are not enough to cater for the number of students in their respective schools.

“Some schools have received items that when put together, could not be used to feed the students-for example, if you deliver beans, maize, rice, and maybe gari, you don’t expect the school to use those items to feed the students because you have not given them oil.”

“There are some items that need to be received together because what we have received so far cannot be used to feed the students,” Rev. Sekyere stressed.

The Conference further revealed that the government through the Buffer Stock Company has so far released food items which ain’t even enough, leaving out essentials such as oil, milk, and sugar.

“As I speak with you, some schools are finding it difficult to feed the students because the items received are some of these items-beans, maize and rice, that when put together, cannot feed the students.”

CHASS had last week called on the government as schools resumed, for a quick supply of food and other essential materials needed to facilitate the smooth running of the semester but with the current happenings, it looks as though the semester will be a tough one with just a week gone by.

Source: Ghananewsonline.com.gh