Free SHS: Headmasters in Eastern Region beg Akufo-Addo to Release Funds to run Schools
- Some headmasters in the Easter Region have begged the government to release funds for the Free SHS policy
- They have complained bitterly about the challenges the policy has brought to them since the president launched the policy after winning the 2016 Elections
- Some of the headmasters say feeding has become a problem for the schools
- Others battle congestion and are unable to purchase common materials such for teaching
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Heads of some senior high schools in the Eastern Region have called on the government to expedite action in releasing funds for the free SHS policy.
The heads cry of having limited funds and resources to run the schools which has made academic work and others very difficult for the schools to run smoothly.
This is contained in a report sighted by YEN.com.gh on Starrfm.com.gh
Source: UGC
Plights of schools
The Headmaster for Asamankese Senior High School (ASASCO), Rev. Samuel Manphasis Adjei Munyuhitum, for instance, reportedly said that managing the school has become extremely difficult due to financial challenges.
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He revealed that the major concern the heads of the school have now is the inability of funds to be released for the Free Senior high school program to run successfully.
As we speak we have started the second semester for form three. Recurrent expenditure for the first semester has not been paid. Even the feeding aspect of it only 25% came the first time, another 25% and that is all," he explained.
According to the ASASCO Headmaster, since the “first-year students returned to school, they have already spent 14 days and yet not even a pesewa has been received from the government.
So for how long can we continue to have successful teaching and learning outcomes when we don’t have the funds to purchase the little things like maker boards and teaching and learning materials in the classrooms.
For how long can we continue and expect the best from the system. It is only an appeal that whoever is concerned, whoever has the power to release the funds should ensure that the schools have the funds ," he cried.
Infrastructural issues
The Headmaster revealed that management of the school has been forced to covert a seven-unit classroom block into a girls dormitory due to failure by successive governments to complete a girls dormitory block which started in 2008.
We have the girl’s dormitory block that has been abandoned since 2008 till today the contractor has not come back. It has reached the roofing level. My concern is that let us roof it so that the students can benefit from the structure, and to me, it is a huge concern. This also means wasting taxpayers money-wasting," he added.
Conditions of anonymity
Some of the headmasters reportedly spoke on condition of anonymity about their challenges.
In addition to the challenges listed above, these headmasters reveal that they had to resort to borrowing money to run the schools.
They stressed that the undue delay in releasing funds has done more damage than good to the schools.
Source: YEN.com.gh
