Schools have adequate food supplies - Government dismisses ‘one fish-10 students’ video

The Ministry of Education, MoE, has dismissed reports that schools in parts of the country are suffering from food shortages.

An October 11, 2022 press release signed by Kwasi Kwarteng, the Ministry’s spokesperson said there had been adequate food supplies to schools including the St. Paul SHS and Minor Seminary in the Volta Region.

GhanaWeb had carried a report

Read full articleof a viral video shared by blogger Kobby Kyei, in which a group of 10 students of St Paul's are seen purportedly sharing one fish during dining.

The video, having gone viral, particularly on Twitter, triggered condemnation of the feeding situation in schools.

In the said video, a student with a spoon is seen carefully dividing the fish in what looks like palm nut soup into several pieces to share with other students seated around the table who had been served rice.

But the MoE statement titled: ‘MINISTRY OF EDUCATION REFUTES ALLEGATIONS OF FOOD SHORTAGE IN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOLS,’ read in part: “The Ministry of Education has noted with surprise news publications and media discussions which purport an imminent closure of some Senior High Schools due to shortage of food. Specific references were made to some schools in the Volta Region.

It continued: “The Ministry wishes to place on record that our checks reveal adequate supplies of food items have been made to the schools in question. The Ministry however takes cognizance of recent disruptions within the food supply chain but assures parents and guardians that they have been addressed. Consequently, all Senior High Schools in the Country have received an adequate supply of food items.

“The Ministry wishes to assure the public of its commitment and willingness in providing quality and timely supply of food to all Senior High Schools. We entreat the Public to disregard such reports,” it concluded.

TWI NEWS

In May this year, some Senior High Schools reported food shortages while threatening to close down if nothing was done about the situation.

The Regional Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS) in the Northern, Eastern, Central and Volta regions were worst affected by the crisis and demanded that either student are made to feed themselves, or the schools shut down.

However, the government intervened and had supplies delivered to the various schools to avert their closure.

The headmistress of Avatime Senior High School, Rebecca Mawusi Veny, wrote to the Volta Regional Director of Education to request permission for the students to begin feeding themselves as the school was running out of stock.

Similarly, the headmaster of Alavanyo Senior High Technical, Rev Samuel Pius Elewokor, wrote to the Volta Regional Free SHS Secretariat for urgent supply as they have resorted to feeding their students twice daily.

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