The Free SHS feeding crisis has escalated dramatically after high-level talks between the Ministry of Education and key stakeholders ended without agreement on Friday, April 17, 2026.
The emergency meeting, convened by Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu, was aimed at resolving worsening food shortages in senior high schools across the country. However, it concluded in a deadlock, intensifying fears of a nationwide disruption to the programme.
At the heart of the Free SHS feeding crisis is the breakdown in arrangements for procuring perishable food items such as meat, eggs, and vegetables—supplies that have become increasingly scarce due to delays in funding.
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The meeting brought together critical institutions, including the Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS), the National Food Buffer Stock Company, and the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund). Despite attempts to find common ground, disagreements over procurement responsibilities stalled progress.
In a proposed intervention, the Minister directed GETFund to sustain an arrangement that would allow CHASS to independently source perishable food items. However, the parties failed to reach a consensus, leaving the issue unresolved.
The impasse follows a formal petition submitted by CHASS and the Conference of Principals of Technical Institutions (COPTI), highlighting the severe strain on school authorities struggling to feed students.
Across the country, headteachers are reportedly resorting to desperate measures—taking loans, relying on credit from local food vendors, and even using personal funds—to keep school kitchens running.
The worsening Free SHS feeding crisis has pushed school heads to issue a stark warning: without immediate financial intervention, they may be forced to shut down schools and send students home.
Such a development would mark the most serious challenge to the Free SHS policy since its introduction, potentially derailing the academic calendar and disrupting preparations for the upcoming West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
With over 1.2 million students depending on the programme, the stakes remain extremely high. The failure of the talks has also exposed coordination gaps among implementing agencies, raising broader concerns about the sustainability of the feeding system.
Stakeholders are expected to reconvene in the coming days in a renewed effort to break the deadlock and restore stability to the programme.