The 4th Administrator of the Ghana Education Trust (GETFund), Mr. Paul Adjei, has met with the top leadership of the Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS) in Kumasi, Opoku Ware School (OWASS) on Tuesday 25 March 2025.
The meeting was an opportunity to familiarize with CHASS National Executive and apprise himself with information from the implementors of the Free Senior High School (FSHS) Programme and challenges bedeviling the policy over the years.
The National President of CHASS, Rev Fr. Stephen O. Sekyere, who is also the Headmaster of the Opoku Ware School, Kumasi, in the Ashanti Region, opened the discussions by enumerating the multi-faceted issues confronting public secondary schools in the country. The issues centred around the curtailment of vacation for top management of schools running the Double Track System as they run all year round calendar, acute shortage of furniture for students and staff, many uncompleted projects being sponsored by GETFund in the schools, STEM Centres absent in many schools, many old facilities in some schools requiring urgent refurbishment, delays in the disbursement of funds for the running of FSHS, including funds for WAEC WASSCE practical activities in the schools among others.
CHASS President was of the view that, completing the various stalled, abandoned and ongoing projects in the schools will lead to the cancelation of the Double Track Calendar in the schools.
“We plead that instead of starting new infrastructure in our schools let GETFund/Government commit to completing all these scattered stalled projects to levels that can be used by the schools,” the Rev Fr. appealed.
CHASS called on the Administrator to consult with the Ministry of Education, the Ghana Education Service and the Ghana TVET Service as a matter of urgency to revive the Examination Fixing Committee that periodically reviewed and approved new fees for the sixteen (16) itemized bill for students that FSHS covers.
The Administrator empathized with CHASS and praised them for their tenacity and resilience in ensuring the continuous running of schools amidst dire financial constraints and food shortages.
“As you might have heard, the Government has directed GETFund to take up the responsibility of providing the funds needed for the operations of the Free SHS which has come to stay,” Mr. Adjei revealed.
He assured CHASS that his leadership will be a listening administration that will consult constantly with stakeholders in rolling out any initiative or policy towards harmonious working relationships in improving educational outcomes.
“Whatever we are doing today can be done more efficiently and effectively with prudent utilization of our resources in the schools,” he asserted.
Mr. Adjei assured CHASS that the 2025 Distribution Formula will factor in many of the concerns raised as a testament and the determination of the government to do things better in every shape or sphere in the education sector.
