Senior High Schools (SHS) in Ghana are facing a serious food shortage, forcing students to eat the same meals multiple times daily. Since August 16, 2024, schools have been struggling to access funds, which has led them to buy essential perishables like tomatoes, onions, and fish on credit. Yet, items like ginger, sausages, and cooking salt remain difficult to obtain due to mounting debts.
Salamatu Braimah, National Chairman of the Teachers and Educational Workers Union (TEWU), expressed concern over the lack of meal variety, with some schools providing rice for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The shortage has also affected other staple foods like maize, leading to monotonous diets that worry both students and staff.
The ongoing crisis echoes a similar shortage reported in March 2024, where a documentary by JoyNews highlighted the challenges SHSs face under the Free SHS policy. Parents and civil society groups have since called for the decentralization of food supplies to address the problem effectively.