Deputy Minister for Education, Dr Clement Apaak has warned that Senior High School (SHS) managers who deny students adequate meals will face severe sanctions if found complicit.
Dr Apaak issued the warning in a Facebook post on Saturday, adding his voice to an official statement released by the Ghana Education Service (GES) over an alleged feeding situation at the Savelugu Senior High School.
“Our students deserve balanced, nutritious and sufficient meals. Government has made sufficient funds available to ensure that,” Dr Apaak stated.
He cautioned that heads, matrons and bursars who engage in practices that deprive students of proper feeding would be held accountable.
“Managers of our secondary schools whose conduct denies our students good meals would face severe consequences if found complicit,” he added.
The comments follow a statement from the GES acknowledging a video circulating on social media that raised concerns about food provision at Savelugu Senior High School. According to the Service, management had taken notice of the allegations and initiated investigations into the matter.
“Management of the Ghana Education Service has sighted a video circulating on social media about an alleged food situation at Savelugu Senior High School,” the statement said.
The GES stressed that student feeding remains a priority and described any form of mismanagement as a serious offence.
“Management takes the quality of student feeding very seriously, hence it prioritises quality feeding and views mismanagement as a serious offence,” the statement noted.
While addressing public concerns, the Service said the incident should not be seen as reflective of the national situation.
“Management wishes to assure the public, especially parents, that the incident at Savelugu Senior High School is an isolated case and does not reflect the overall feeding status nationwide,” it said.
GES further disclosed that investigations had already begun and pledged stronger oversight measures going forward.
“Investigations have been initiated into the matter,” the statement added, announcing plans to intensify unannounced monitoring visits to schools across the country.
The Service also appealed to school authorities and other stakeholders to cooperate fully with management to prevent future lapses.
“Stakeholders, and school heads especially, are urged to promptly report any peculiar challenges they encounter to management for timely intervention,” the statement said.
Dr Apaak’s intervention underscores government’s position that funding constraints cannot be used to justify poor feeding practices, particularly at a time when resources have been made available to support students’ welfare.