Govt pays GH¢66.8m subvention to SHSs

The government has paid GH¢66.8 million as subvention to public senior high and technical schools for the second semester.

Out of the amount, GH¢32.8 million has been earmarked for 20 per cent feeding fee for perishable food items, GH¢3.6 million as teacher motivation, while GH¢890,458 is for the maintenance of furniture in schools.

The remaining amount covers recurrent fees for the second semester.

Recurrent fees

The recurrent fees cover general stationery, first aid, maintenance of vehicles, building maintenance, sports fees, culture fees, sanitation fees, postage and practical fees.

Others are maintenance of machines/tools, examination fees, entertainment fees, SRC dues and co-curricula activities.

The rest are technical training materials for technical and vocational education and training (TVET) students only, laboratory supplies, development levy and house dues.

At the school level

Briefing the Daily Graphic in Accra last Monday, the National Coordinator at the Free SHS Secretariat, Mr William Darkwah, said items such as exercise and notebooks, school uniforms and physical education kits had already been provided for the schools at the school level.

“The school uniforms were procured by the heads, but payments will be done centrally by the headquarters,” he said, adding that some suppliers had been paid for the supply of those items.

Mr Darkwah explained that notwithstanding those payments, the National Food Buffer Stock Company Limited continued to supply food items to the boarding schools, while the ministry also continued to provide one hot meal a day for day students.

He said in addition to the subventions, the government had also paid over GH¢20 million for utilities under the free SHS policy for all public SHSs in the country.

Utilities

Giving the breakdown, Mr Darkwah said GH¢13,385,295.25 had been paid to the then Electricity Company of Ghana (now Power Distribution Services (PDS) and GH¢7,738,970 to the Ghana Water Company Ltd (GWCL) to cover payment for utilities supplied for 2018.

“The Minister of Education, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, on various platforms, has emphasised the government’s unflinching commitment to ensure that no qualified Ghanaian child is denied access to quality education, as it remains the only sure way to better the fortunes of our youth for the future.

“Consequently, the government will continue to make available the needed resources and support to make this vision a reality,” he said.