The Secretary-General of the Teachers and Educational Worker’s Union (TEWU) of the Trade Union Congress, Mark Dankyira Korankye, has raised concern over the quality of food being provided to students under the Free Senior High School (SHS) policy.
Despite acknowledging the policy as one of the best education initiatives in the country, he urged the government to depoliticize the policy and conduct an honest review.
Speaking at the 13th Quadrennial National Delegates Conference of TEWU, he stressed the importance of conducting a thorough review of the Free SHS programme particularly concerning the quality of food served to students.
“This policy, after 7 years of implementation, needs to be reviewed to make it even better. It cannot be business as usual,” he said.
Mr Korankye emphasised that there is a need to involve all relevant stakeholders in the provision of supplies and facilities, noting that inadequate food provisions have been reported in some schools.
“Sometimes in some of the institutions you will hear L cube. That is to say that breakfast is liquid, lunch is liquid and supper is liquid. So L in the morning, L in the afternoon and L in the evening.
“Whereas we know that normally we would take a light breakfast, some heavy lunch and some in the evening. And if students are forced to do L cube, how would they have the energy to even learn.”
The TEWU Secretary-General implored policymakers to review the Free SHS policy and take steps to address the challenges.
“This is not the politicians review that I am talking about. I am talking about the education sector. A review from a union that is within the education sector and knows what is going on in the sector.
“Let us review it, take off those ones that have challenges, and maintain the ones that are best for our people so that our children will have the full benefit of the policy,” he added.