President John Dramani Mahama has issued a directive for the immediate evacuation of food stored in Tema warehouses to Senior High Schools across the country.
The move aims to address the current food shortages affecting the feeding of students.
Speaking during the Christian National Thanksgiving Service at the University for Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA), President Mahama expressed concern about the Ghana Education Service’s (GES) decision to reopen schools on January 3, 2025, despite the Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS) recommending a postponement.
“As we speak, we have a challenge currently with feeding students in secondary schools,” the President remarked. “As a stopgap measure, I have asked the Chief of Staff to work with the Ghana Education Service to allocate and evacuate food that is currently held in warehouses in Tema.”
Addressing food shortages in schools
The food stocks in Tema, initially imported by the previous administration to mitigate drought conditions in Northern Ghana, will now be repurposed to meet the urgent needs of students.
“In this emergency, we need to use some of that food to feed our students,” President Mahama said, highlighting the urgency of the situation.
This intervention comes as many schools struggle to maintain their feeding programs amidst logistical and resource challenges.
A renewed focus on education
President Mahama reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to making education a cornerstone of his government’s reset agenda.
The focus will be on improving infrastructure, providing better resources for teachers, and expanding access to technology for students.
As part of this plan, the government will convene a National Education Review Conference to address the challenges facing various levels of Ghana’s educational system.
“This will help us forge a consensus on the way forward to achieve quality education,” he stated.
A path forward
The directive to distribute food to Senior High Schools underscores the administration’s commitment to ensuring that students’ basic needs are met while addressing broader issues in the educational sector.
The proposed National Education Review Conference is expected to offer long-term solutions to these challenges, providing a roadmap for sustainable improvements in Ghana’s education system.
President Mahama’s decisive actions reflect his dedication to education as a priority for national development, ensuring that no student is left hungry or disadvantaged.
