CHASS confident funding dispute will be resolved, avoiding shutdown

The Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS) has expressed confidence that the ongoing food funding crisis affecting senior high schools across Ghana will be resolved through stakeholder engagement, despite growing concerns about potential disruptions to academic activities.

Speaking on JoyNews Desk, CHASS National Secretary, Primus Baro, adopted a calm and conciliatory tone, emphasising the organisation’s commitment to dialogue rather than confrontation.

“We hope, like how we have been able to manage all stakeholders — CHASS, government — and have been able to manage similar issues over the past, we will also manage the same so that we will stay smoothly across the river,” he stated.

The comments come amid mounting anxiety among school administrators over delays in government funding for food supplies and other essential operational needs in second-cycle institutions.

The situation has raised fears that some schools could face serious challenges in sustaining feeding programmes, which are critical to student welfare under Ghana’s education system.

Tensions escalated following a stakeholder meeting convened by the Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, which ended without a clear financial resolution. The outcome left many school heads uncertain about how to manage immediate operational demands.

Mr Baro was quick to clarify that CHASS does not have the authority to shut down schools, distancing the organisation from suggestions that closures could be imminent.

“The communication of CHASS is not that we are going to shut down schools. We don’t shut down schools. We only advise,” he explained.

He stressed that CHASS operates primarily as an advisory and coordinating body, guiding school heads while engaging government and other stakeholders to find workable solutions.

According to Mr Baro, CHASS has historically relied on collaboration and negotiation to resolve challenges within the education sector, avoiding actions that could disrupt the academic calendar.

He maintained that while the current situation is serious, there is strong confidence within the organisation that ongoing discussions will lead to a resolution.

The organisation is “very much convinced” that the issue will be addressed, he noted, although no specific timeline has been provided.

The food funding crisis is not new and has become a recurring issue under the Free Senior High School policy. School heads have consistently cited delayed disbursements as a major challenge affecting:

Student feeding programmes
Procurement of essential supplies
Day-to-day school administration

These funding delays have periodically strained school operations, prompting repeated calls for more predictable and timely financial support from government.

While uncertainty remains, CHASS’s stance suggests that schools are unlikely to take drastic measures in the immediate term. Instead, the focus remains on sustained engagement with government to secure the necessary funding and ensure continuity in academic activities.

The coming weeks are expected to be critical as stakeholders work toward a resolution that safeguards both student welfare and the stability of Ghana’s education system.