President Mahama Orders SHS Menu Overhaul as Government Increases Feeding Grants to GH"15

As the 2026/2027 academic year commences, the Government of Ghana has signaled a significant shift in the management of the Free Senior High School (SHS) program. Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu, during a visit to Tarkwa Senior High School on September 18, announced that President John Dramani Mahama has officially ordered a comprehensive review of the SHS meal menu. This directive is aimed at enhancing the nutritional quality of meals provided to students across the country. To support this initiative, the government has allocated GH₵4.2 billion for the feeding program, with specific plans to nearly double the daily feeding grant from GH₵8 to GH₵15 per student.

The Minister’s assurance comes as schools welcome back students for a busy academic cycle. Under the current schedule, Form One and Form Two students are projected to complete their term by July 30, 2027, while Form Three students are expected to finish by June 18, 2027. Minister Iddrisu emphasized that the increased funding and menu review are part of a broader commitment to resolve historical challenges within the Free SHS framework, ensuring that food shortages are averted and that student welfare remains a top priority for the Mahama administration as it seeks to stabilize the educational sector.

Beyond nutrition, the government is also intensifying its oversight of educational infrastructure to ensure value for money. In the Bono East Region, Regional Minister Francis Owusu Antwi recently took a firm stance against substandard construction by rejecting a new dining hall complex at Kajaji Senior High School. During a site inspection, the Minister identified serious structural flaws, including the use of non-standard blocks and crooked concrete beams. He has instructed consultants not to certify the work, forcing the contractor, Engineer Taufiq Modestus, to commit to rectifying the defects. This move highlights a growing intolerance for poor workmanship in public projects, particularly at a school where students currently endure eating in open spaces.

In the Ashanti Region, authorities are similarly working to balance educational needs with broader economic development goals. Regional Minister Dr. Frank Amoakohene recently clarified the status of a 12-unit classroom block in Mankranso following rumors of its demolition. Rather than being destroyed to make way for a 24-Hour Economy Market, the facility will be re-engineered and integrated into the market project. This redesign is intended to serve lower primary students, allowing market women to keep their children in a safe educational environment nearby while they work. Together, these developments across feeding, construction, and regional planning reflect a multi-faceted approach to improving the school environment as the new academic year begins.