At the 13th Quadrennial National Delegates Conference of TEWU, Mark Dankyira Korankye, the Secretary-General of the Teachers and Educational Worker’s Union (TEWU) of the Trade Union Congress raised concerns about the quality of food being served to students under the Free Senior High School (SHS) policy.
Although Mr Korankye acknowledged that the policy is one of the best education initiatives in the country, he urged the government to depoliticize the policy and conduct an honest review.
Mr Korankye stressed the importance of conducting a thorough review of the Free SHS programme, particularly concerning the quality of food served to students.
He emphasized that after seven years of implementation, the policy needs to be reviewed to make it better. He noted that there is a need to involve all relevant stakeholders in the provision of supplies and facilities and that inadequate food provisions have been reported in some schools.
Mr Korankye also mentioned that some schools serve liquid meals for breakfast, lunch, and supper, which is not conducive to learning.
He implored policymakers to review the Free SHS policy and take steps to address the challenges.
He emphasized that the review should not be a political one, but rather one from a union within the education sector that knows what is going on in the sector.
In conclusion, Mr Korankye urged policymakers to review the Free SHS policy, take off those that have challenges, and maintain the ones that are best for the people so that children can benefit fully from the policy.
