Senior High Schools (SHS) across Ghana are grappling with a severe shortage of essential furniture and accommodation as the new academic year begins, raising concerns about overcrowding and strained learning conditions.
The Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS) says many schools are unable to provide adequate tables, chairs, and dormitory beds for incoming students, a situation that threatens to disrupt teaching and learning.
CHASS President Rev. Father Stephen Owusu Sekyere said authorities must act swiftly to address the shortage.
“What is really the problem now is the furniture…we have already written to the Director General and the Ministry, and they have indicated that they are working on it,” he told reporters. “But they have to expedite action on it so that students coming in will not suffer and the teachers will not suffer. We expect them soon.”
He said the current food situation in schools is “manageable,” but warned that prompt delivery is needed to avoid shortages.
“For now, we have a little bit of food to feed the students, but we expect the government to bring food very soon. I don’t expect food supply to delay. Their food must come, and I am told the Ministry and the Director General are working on them,” he added.
Rev. Owusu Sekyere urged calm among first-year students and parents frustrated by enrollment delays.
“This year has been so smooth… Previously, it would have taken about two weeks before you go through the process. This time, the process has been done online and people come and are not delayed for a long time,” he said. “I want parents to calm down. When there are problems, they will be resolved.”
Education think tank Africa Education Watch (Eduwatch) has described the shortage as a symptom of weak planning and delayed resource allocation in the implementation of Ghana’s Free Senior High School (Free SHS) policy.
Eduwatch Executive Director Kofi Asare said in an interview the recurring crisis “highlights the need for a clear infrastructure and logistics plan” to match the annual intake of students under the Free SHS programme.
“Every year we face the same challenge — inadequate furniture, overcrowded dormitories, and pressure on feeding budgets. This is not just about money but planning. The Ministry must coordinate more effectively with CHASS and the Ghana Education Service to ensure readiness before reopening,” Asare said.
He added that while government efforts to digitalize placement and admissions are commendable, “these systemic logistical failures continue to undermine the gains of access and equity the policy seeks to achieve.”
