Western Region Chairman of Parents Teacher Association (PTA) Isaac Cobbina has disclosed that senior high school (SHS) students are now compelled to buy sugar and bread to complement the raw beverages served in the dining halls of some their schools.
Speaking in an interview with Nhyiraba Paa Kwesi Simpson, the host of Connect FM’s Omanbapa morning show, he indicated that the situation is gradually getting worse and parents must take up responsibilities for their children as they report to schools.
“Things are getting worse in our Senior High Schools. Government is helpless, headmasters cannot complain, and it is about time parents take up some responsibilities for their children in the schools. As I speak to you now, children are compelled to bring their sugar and bread to complement the raw beverages served at the dining halls. There have been many times porridge are served without sugar or bread and this is a fact we cannot hide from,” he indicated.
Students of the various SHSs in the country have started reporting in their numbers.
The issue of feeding continues to be a challenge in schools. According to Mr. Isaac Cobbina, tokens are sometimes taken from parents to assist the schools.
“We have been discussing with parents and as we speak with you we take tokens from them to support the head teachers in buying food. I’m imploring parents to keep up and assist their wards in the schools. They should be able to buy enough provisions for their wards to cope with the term. We can no longer pretend all is well in the schools, the headmasters are scared to speak because they will be targeted but we cannot be silent as parents and allow our children to suffer,” he indicated.
He called on head teachers to reduce the prospectus list to enable parents to support their wards with feeding.
“Some head teachers have been worsening the situation. Some prospectus lists I have seen are very outrageous. The items on the list are very expensive and that is not helping parents. The head teachers can reduce them because most of the items are not necessary. Parents need money to support feeding we cannot kill them with prospectus,” he added.