Students of the T.I. Ahmadiyya Senior High School in Salaga, located in the East Gonja Municipality of the Savannah Region, are calling on the government for urgent intervention to address a critical food shortage that threatens to disrupt their academic activities. The students, who returned to school on January 3, 2025, are concerned that the lack of funding for their feeding program will result in school closures if not resolved swiftly.
The Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS) had earlier appealed to the Ghana Education Service (GES) to delay the reopening of schools until the necessary funds were released to address food and financial challenges. However, GES insisted that schools should proceed with the scheduled reopening.
At the T.I. Ahmadiyya Senior High School, the situation is dire. School authorities have revealed that the current stock of food consists of only a few bags of rice and two gallons of cooking oil, which they expect will last for less than two weeks. The shortage has sparked anxiety among students, particularly those in their final year, who are 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,” said one of the students in an interview with Graphic Online's Simon Unyan.
The school’s authorities confirmed that no funds have been disbursed to address the situation, and they are worried about the sustainability of the feeding program. "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, with many others likely waiting for the food crisis to be resolved before returning. Both students and school officials are urging the government to act promptly to avoid further disruptions and ensure that the academic term proceeds without further obstacles.
The appeal from the students and school authorities highlights the urgent need for timely government intervention to secure funding and ensure that students are adequately supported throughout the academic year.
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