The feeding shortage in some secondary schools is in danger of getting out of hand, the Ranking Member on the Education Committee, Peter Notsu-Kotoe, has warned.
Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show, Mr. Nortsu-Kotoe said the government needed to offer the necessary support urgently.
“Otherwise in the next few days, the situation will blow into our faces, and we will not be able to contain it,” the MP said.
Some schools have said they are on the verge of shutting down because of feeding concerns.
Mr. Nortsu-Kotoe reiterated concerns from critics that the free SHS policy was unsustainable.
“But we were described as doomsayers and naysayers… because of political expediency and the government will not listen to us,” he said.
He again called for the policy to be reviewed to alleviate the pressure on schools.
“We will continue to say that there is the need to review the policy so that when the boarding system is reviewed, parents who can pay could pay [to support the programme],” Mr. Nortsu-Kotoe said.
Also on the Citi Breakfast Show, the president of the NAGRAT, Angel Carbonu said the Akufo-Addo government brought these challenges upon itself.
In his view, it was obvious the Free SHS policy “was bound to fail at the end.”
He also said the policy was misplaced and only deepened inequality in schools.
“What you are concentrating on is not the primary essence of education. You are concentrating on feeding, whereas your free could have gone into the academic provision and leave the feeding for the parents,” Mr. Nortsu-Kotoe said.
