LATEST DEVELOPMENT ON THE CLOSURE OF ALL THE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOLS IN THE THREE REGIONS OF THE NORTH

 

Iddi Muhayu-Deen writes...

✅All the over 83 Senior High Schools in the three regions of the north (with over 94, 000 student population) CLOSED DOWN some two weeks ago because government has failed to settle their feeding grant arrears, which have been outstanding for a whole year (3 terms) 

✅Government communicators at the time told us that this decision had nothing to do with the so called feeding grant arrears. And that, the students were asked to go home because of the BECE which was held last week since most of the senior high schools also serve as exams centres for BECE. The students will therefore resume immediately after the BECE, we were told by government. 

✅As we all know, BECE ended last week Friday but the students, as we speak are still at home much to the chagrin of their families and friends. 

✅The few students that reported to school today (Monday, June 20) have been SACKED by the school authorities and told to remain at home until government settles all the feeding grant arrears. 

✅Government, after incessant pressure, now issues a cheque of only GH¢ 44 million to the scholarship secretariat to among other things, transfer part of this money to the schools to take care of the feeding grants. However, this money is WOEFULLY INADEQUATE and can only take of care of the feeding arrears for just ONE TERM out of the three. Consequent to this, the school authorities have decided NOT to recall the students because there is NO food to feed them. 

That is the UNFORTUNATE REALITY we are confronted with. I am a teacher in one of these schools. You can do your independent checks as well if you doubt me. I ask myself whether government is really serious about bridging the yawning education gap between the North and the South. These INNOCENT STUDENTS are LOSING A LOT. I am really shedding tears for my innocent brothers and sisters up north. Do they really have RIGHT TO EDUCATION as enshrined in our constitution? Has education now become the preserve of only the rich?

Their southern counterparts as we speak, are in school studying without any interruption in their academic calendar. Meanwhile all these students are expected to write the same exams and be judged by the same yardstick eventually. How unfair could that be! Has President Mahama forgotten that he and some of his Ministers were beneficiaries of this same northern scholarship regime? Why? Why? Why exhibit such “callousness” to the plight of your own? Unfortunately, hopelessness has become our lot as a people, who already lag behind in all human departments. President Mahama, kindly do something for your own with immediate effect for love of God and country. That is my clarion to you, Mr. President. These students certainly deserve better. 

Thank you. 

IDDI MUHAYU-DEEN 

A Concerned Teacher

Former NUGS Secretary

(0245335197)

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