Mahama orders review of SHS menu; Education Minister assures students of adequate food

Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu stood before students at Tarkwa Senior High School on Friday, September 18, and delivered two announcements. President John Dramani Mahama had directed a review of the SHS menu. And adequate provisions had been made for meals as schools reopened for the 2026/2027 academic year.

"I will follow further to examine the data and then we'll ensure that you don't lack food," Iddrisu said. "We make adequate provision for your meals. I'm happy to announce that President Mahama has directed that we review your menu to make it better."

The visit came on the first day of term. SHS and Senior High Technical School students resumed classes on September 18 following the release of the 2026/2027 academic calendar by the Ghana Education Service. The reopening has brought renewed attention to the welfare of students, including the availability and quality of meals provided under the Free SHS programme.

The government has allocated GH¢4.2 billion for feeding Free SHS students in 2026, part of a total GH¢9.6 billion allocation for the programme. The feeding grant is also set to rise from GH¢8 to GH¢15 per student, part of broader reforms Iddrisu has announced.

Mahama has previously said the government inherited a situation where the Free SHS programme had been introduced without a dedicated funding source. That contributed to delays in budget releases and food shortages. The government has since established dedicated funding arrangements for Senior High Schools and student feeding, he said.

The promise of a menu review signals an effort to address both the availability and the quality of meals. The details of the revised menu and when the changes will take effect are yet to be announced.

The academic calendar sets firm end dates for the year. Form One and Form Two students in single-track schools are expected to complete the academic year on July 30, 2027. Form Three students are scheduled to finish on June 18, 2027, coinciding with the conclusion of the 2027 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).

The feeding question has been a persistent pressure point for the Free SHS programme since its introduction. Schools have reported shortages in past terms, and students and parents have complained about the quality and variety of meals. The GH¢8 per student per day figure that has been in place has drawn criticism from head teachers and caterers, who have said it cannot cover the cost of a nutritious meal.

The increase to GH¢15, if implemented, would represent a near doubling of the daily allocation. Iddrisu did not give a date for when the new rate would take effect. He also did not specify which items the menu review would consider, or whether caterers would be consulted in the process.

The timing matters. The 2026/2027 academic year has just begun, and the government is positioning the feeding reforms as a response to the inherited funding gaps Mahama has described. The president's directive to review the menu is the first public signal that the administration intends to change what students are actually served, not just how much is budgeted for it.

Tarkwa Senior High School, a mixed boarding school in the Western Region, was the setting for the announcement. Iddrisu chose a first-day visit to deliver the news directly to students. The school, like others across the country, will be watching to see what the reviewed menu contains and when the new feeding grant reaches caterers.

The Ghana Education Service has not published the revised menu. No timeline has been given for its release. For now, students have been told the food will come and the menu will improve. The specifics remain unannounced.

According to Joy Online.