Senior High Schools (SHSs) across the country are grappling with a severe food shortage that is leaving students with limited meal options.
Many students are now forced to eat the same meals—sometimes as often as three times a day—due to the ongoing crisis.
The shortage stems from a lack of government funding that has affected food supplies since August 16, 2024.
As a result, some schools have resorted to buying perishable items like tomatoes, onions, and fish on credit.
However, many schools still struggle to pay for basic necessities like ginger, sausages, and even cooking salt due to growing debts with suppliers.
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Salamatu Braimah, the National Chairman of the Teachers and Educational Workers Union (TEWU), has raised concerns over the situation.
“We are deeply worried,” she said, noting that school staff are feeling increasingly helpless as the shortage persists.
While some food is available, the lack of variety has left students in a difficult situation. “Some schools are living on rice alone,” Braimah explained.
“Students are eating rice water for breakfast and rice meals for both lunch and dinner. A few schools have access to ‘tom brown,’ but others are struggling to even get maize supplies.”
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This food crisis is not new. Earlier this year, a documentary by JoyNews revealed that SHSs had already been facing a serious shortage of food items.
The report, titled Empty Plates: The Free SHS Promise, sparked outrage among parents, many of whom called on the government to decentralize the food supply system to ensure schools receive the necessary provisions.
