The Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS) says it is confident that the ongoing challenges with food funding in senior high schools will be resolved through dialogue, even as concerns grow over possible disruptions to academic work.
Speaking on JoyNews Desk, CHASS National Secretary, Primus Baro, maintained a calm tone, stressing that the association is focused on engagement with stakeholders rather than confrontation.
“We hope, like how we have been able to manage all stakeholders — CHASS, government — and have been able to manage similar issues over the past, we will also manage the same so that we will stay smoothly across the river,” he said.
His comments come amid rising tension over delayed government disbursements for food and other essential supplies in second-cycle institutions. The situation has sparked anxiety among school heads, with fears that some schools could struggle to maintain operations if the delays persist.
The uncertainty was further heightened after a stakeholder meeting between the Education Minister, Haruna Iddrisu, and key education stakeholders ended without a clear financial resolution.
Despite the concerns, Mr. Baro clarified CHASS’s role in the matter, stressing that the association does not have the authority to shut down schools and serves only in an advisory capacity to its members.
“The communication of CHASS is not that we are going to shut down schools. We don’t shut down schools. We only advise,” he explained.
He added that CHASS has consistently relied on dialogue with government and education authorities to resolve similar challenges in the past, rather than taking actions that could disrupt the academic calendar.
While acknowledging the seriousness of the situation, Mr. Baro expressed optimism that ongoing engagements would lead to a solution. He, however, did not provide a timeline for when the issue might be resolved or what form the intervention could take.
The food funding delays have become a recurring concern under the Free Senior High School policy, with school administrators frequently pointing to late releases of funds as a major challenge affecting feeding, logistics, and overall school management.