Ho:The Minister for Education, Mr. Haruna Iddrisu, has announced plans to raise the current GHS15 per-student feeding allocation under the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) programme in the upcoming 2027 Budget.
According to Ghana News Agency, Mr. Iddrisu revealed that President John Dramani Mahama has instructed the inclusion of chicken and eggs in an enhanced menu for students in all public senior high schools as part of the programme improvements.
The announcement was made during the opening ceremony of the 64th Annual National Conference of the Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS). Mr. Iddrisu mentioned that the government has consulted with the Minister of Finance regarding the proposed adjustment, with the new feeding rate to be disclosed in the 2027 Budget estimates.
Mr. Iddrisu also shared that discussions have taken place with the Chief Executive Officer of the National Food Buffer Stock Company, and efforts are underway with the Ghana Commodity Exchange to incorporate chicken and eggs into school meals, adhering to procurement standards.
Additionally, the Minister announced the government's intention to resolve approximately GHS161 million in outstanding arrears owed to senior high schools for perishable food supplies and other expenses dating from 2021 to 2025. The amounts have undergone auditing and validation, and the government plans to collaborate with the Ministry of Finance to expedite payment.
He highlighted that the uncapping of the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) has led to an allocation of between GHS3 billion and GHS4.2 billion, with around 42 percent earmarked for the Free SHS programme. An alternative funding arrangement is under consideration to provide schools with their annual perishable food supply allocations at the start of the academic year, subject to procurement laws.
Mr. Iddrisu urged CHASS to submit proposals regarding the annual costs of perishable food items to establish a consistent funding and disbursement framework. These measures aim to address feeding and financial challenges in senior high schools and improve resource management within the Free SHS programme.