The spokesperson for former Education Minister Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, Yaw Opoku Mensah, has alleged a disagreement between the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service (GES) over student admission figures is affecting the implementation of the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) programme.
According to him, the dispute involves the admission numbers of about 60,000 students and has contributed to delays in the release of funds to schools.
Mr Opoku Mensah described the situation as a “turf war” between the two institutions, warning that the alleged impasse could have serious consequences for the smooth running of some senior high schools.
In a statement, he claimed that funds meant to support current Form Two students had not been released to some schools, leaving school authorities struggling to meet their financial obligations.
He said some schools had consequently been forced to operate on credit as they continued to provide services to students.
Mr Opoku Mensah also alleged that some items previously supplied to students at no cost, including uniforms and housedresses, were no longer being provided free of charge by some schools.
He further claimed that some heads of schools had been threatened with dismissal if they publicly raised concerns about the situation.
According to him, reports of schools selling items that were previously provided free of charge could be interpreted as a “silent protest” against the alleged funding difficulties.
He cautioned that failure by the Ministry of Education and GES to resolve their differences could create further difficulties for schools.
“If care is not taken, the situation may lead to the closure of schools in the coming days,” he said.
The allegations come amid discussions over the administration and funding of the Free SHS programme.
