The President of Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS) has called for the cancellation of buffer stock claiming its becoming a hindrance in the school feeding programme.
The decision was after a 5-day conference was held in Koforidua to present a petition before government, and the Ministry of Education on ways to improve the free SHS policy.
Speaking with Kwaku Dawuro on Movement In The Morning Show Father Stephen Owusu Sekyere who doubles as the headmaster for Opoku Ware School stated that CHASS is thankful to government for implementing the free SHS policy however, government must cancel the National Food Buffer Stock Company’s supply of foods to the various Senior High Schools.
Father Owusu Sekyere said that ”we appreciate government for implementing the policy and supporting the various schools with the needed facilities under the free SHS policy regardless, there are things we would like government to re-visit because it will help in the progress of the policy. We will be glad if government listens to us because we are the major stakeholders in the policy”.
”There is inconsistency in the fund we are given for the progress of the various institution. For a while now, we have not received the money-the day schools have received theirs so we are pleading with government to make ours available”, he added.
”Another major challenge we are facing is the inconsistent supply of the buffer stock-it used to come regularly, but since 2001 the supply has slowed down, and it has become a challenge –we are pleading with government to give the schools the money to buy the foods. Due to the current economic challenges, although we get the food, but due to the fact that the  supply of the food is now zoned-we need to fuel a bus to pick up the food items and on days we don’t have money to buy fuel, it makes feeding very challenging”, Father Owusu Sekyere stated.
Father Owusu Sekyere appealed to government to allow the schools rely on local manufacturers to provide beds and desk for the various schools.