GES Dismisses SHS Feeding Crisis: Enough Food in Stock for Students | Discuss Ghana

The Ghana Education Service (GES) has moved to calm parental anxieties regarding a rumored food shortage in Senior High Schools. Speaking on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, the Head of the Public Relations Unit at GES, Daniel Fenyi, assured the public that the "impending crisis" being discussed on social media is non-existent, as the National Food Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO) has sufficient supplies in its warehouses.

This assurance comes at a critical time as GETFund released GH¢199.47 million yesterday to settle arrears for perishable food items, effectively stabilizing the supply chain for fresh produce like vegetables, meat, and fish.

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Key Briefing Points from Daniel Fenyi

Stock Levels: Fenyi stated that non-perishable "dry goods" (rice, maize, beans, oil) are in high supply across school stores nationwide. He attributed any local delays to "logistical hitches" in transportation rather than a lack of actual food.

Payment Clearance: He noted that with the recent release of GH¢199.47 million by GETFund, the pressure on suppliers of perishables has been lifted. This payment covers debts from October 2025 to February 2026 for Free SHS and TVET institutions.

Isolated Incidents: Addressing the viral video from Savelugu SHS earlier this year, Fenyi reiterated that such cases are "isolated" and often the result of administrative mismanagement at the school level rather than a national shortage.

Monitoring Teams: GES has intensified its "unannounced monitoring visits" to ensure that food reaching the schools is of high quality and is being prepared under hygienic conditions.

Financial Interventions (April 2026)

The government has taken several steps this month to prevent a shutdown of the feeding program:

Funding Source	Amount Released	Purpose
GETFund	GH¢199.47 Million	Clearing arrears for perishable food (Oct 2025–Feb 2026).
MoE/GOLDBOD	SIP Allocation	Infrastructure for better food storage in rural schools.
Capitation Grant	GH¢72.8 Million	Clearing arrears to support general school operations.

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CHASS Response

The Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS) has expressed cautious optimism following the GES statement. While acknowledging the receipt of funds for perishables, CHASS President noted that the "Buffer Stock model" must remain consistent to avoid the "hand-to-mouth" situation that schools faced in early April.

"We take the quality of student feeding very seriously. Any form of mismanagement by school heads or suppliers is a serious offense that undermines the government's commitment to the Free SHS program." — Daniel Fenyi, Head of PR, GES