GES denies extension of vacation for SHS

• Posted on January 6, 2017
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

The Ghana Education Service (GES) has denied rumours that it has extended the reopening date of Senior High Schools across the country. A statement purported to come from the GES and circulated on social media claimed Thursday that the reopening date of January 5, 2017 had been pushed to January 15.

“We have not extended the reopening date,” Rev. Jonathan Betty, Public Relations Officer of GES told 3News, adding the GES expects that all schools reopen by Monday January 9. Feeding grants released Meanwhile, he revealed the government has released funds for the payment of one term feeding grants to schools in the three northern regions. According to Rev Betty, the money was released into the account of the Scholarship Secretariat, which is in charge of the feeding grant, and same has since been transferred into the schools’ accounts. Senior High Schools in the Northern, Upper East and West regions were on Wednesday said to be considering an extension of the reopening date due to the non-payment of outstanding feeding grants by the government.

Government has failed to pay feeding grants for the first and second terms of the 2016/2017 academic year as well as the first term of the 2017/2018 academic year, the heads of the schools claimed. But Mr Betty told 3News Thursday the issue was being resolved, hence urged heads of the schools in the three regions to resume and make do with the one term grant which has been paid.

“We are hoping that with this money they should resume and start using this money,” he advised. Earlier on Wednesday, the GES issued a statement in which it appealed to the schools to reopen while steps were being taken to facilitate the immediate release of the full feeding grants. “Actions have already been initiated by the Ministry of Education and the Scholarship Secretariat to the Ministry of Finance for the quick release of these bursaries to the respective schools before the start of the academic term,” it said.

The statement added: “We would exceptionally want to also appeal to the major stakeholders of education at the secondary level in the regions under reference to continue to be patient and hold on to their partnership with management in the running of the schools whiles management continue to push for the express release of the grants”.

By Stephen Kwabena Effah