Child Rights International (CRI) says the calls for parents to assist in the feeling students at the Senior High Schools (SHSs) will undermine the Free SHS policy.
The Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS), has recently in a statement, encouraging parents to provide food and provisions to support their wards in the senior high schools due to insufficient fund to run the policy in its total.
However, In a statement issued on Saturday, January 11, 2025, CRI disclosed that the request undermine the core principles of the policy, which aims to provide free and equitable access to secondary education, removing financial barriers and promoting inclusivity.
“The Free SHS programme was established to ensure that every child has access to quality education, regardless of their financial background,” part of the statement read. “Any effort to transfer responsibilities such as feeding to parents undermines the core intent of the policy and creates inequities it was designed to address.”
CRI emphasized that the responsibility for addressing logistical challenges in the implementation of the Free SHS programme lies squarely with the government, and that stakeholders should engage directly with the authorities to secure the necessary resources.
The organization also noted that, as of January 11, 2025, the Free SHS policy remains intact, with no official directive requiring parental contributions to support its implementation.
Child Rights International urged stakeholders to adhere to the policy in its current form and to avoid making changes to the policy without formal review and clear communication from the government.
The organization also emphasized the importance of protecting the welfare of children, citing Ghana’s commitment to the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Children’s Act.
“As a nation, we have a responsibility to protect the interests of children and ensure that policies like the Free SHS programme serve their intended purpose effectively,” the statement concluded.
CRI remains committed to protecting the rights of children and ensuring that no action undermines their access to education.
Attached below is the full statement
