News discovered and reported on large-scale printing of Free SHS branded T-shirts for distribution to approximately 1,274,412 children now enrolled in schools across Ghana.
The T-shirts are being procured by the Free Senior High School Secretariat at the Presidency’s office.
The cost of the shirts has not been disclosed, but the standard cost of printing a T-shirt in Ghana ranges from GHC20 to GHC60 depending on quality, with discounts based on the number of prints.
The Ministry of Education reports that there are now 827,193 second and third-year SHS students enrolled.
The ministry estimates that 447,219 first-year students have enrolled.
Using an average printing cost of Ghc30 per T-shirt, the government will spend approximately Ghc38,232,360 on the Free SHS t-shirts that will be distributed to the approximately 1,274,412 children who are currently enrolled in school.
Over 100 public second cycle institutions in the Eastern region, including Technical and Vocational Education Training institutes, have received 41,215 t-shirts so far, according to Starr News Eastern Regional Correspondent Kojo Ansah.
As an initial consignment, each school received 416 T-shirts, with more T-shirts expected to arrive for distribution.
When contacted, Asiedu Acheampong, Public Relations Officer for Ghana Education Service at the Eastern Regional Education Directorate, denied receiving such t-shirts.
“What I am aware of is branded Cardigan of the various schools,” he added, “but I am not aware of free SHS t-shirts, so if you can email a picture of it to me and the name of the school you took the images from, that would be great.”
Not convinced by the PRO’s explanation, Kojo Ansah approached Daniel Ayertey, Regional Supply Officer at the GES Regional Directorate, and asked why he was distributing free SHS branded T-shirts that the PRO claimed GES had not sanctioned. Mr Aryertey, shocked by the PRO’s statement, placed a phone call to him.
He later added that the t-shirts were brought in late last year by the Free SHS Secretariat to be distributed for free to the students.
He explained that the region received 41,215 pieces as the first consignment, but because the stores were already full, they chose to release it to the schools, who would then distribute it to the children at their discretion while waiting for the second consignment.
Although the t-shirts are free for students, some principals and teachers told Starr News that the printing costs are not.
They claimed that the cost of printing the t-shirts could be used to pay off the government’s arrears to the schools.
Source:starfm
