Northern Patriots in Research and Advocacy (NORPRA), a civil society organisation has condemned what it termed government’s perennial late release of school feeding grants to second cycle institutions in the north.

NORPRA made the condemnation at a press conference in Bolgatanga on Wednesday, addressed by the Regional Secretary, Mr Javis Avoka.

He said the situation is undermining academic work of students in the Northern, Upper East and Upper West Regions since majority of the schools had to close down as a result of government’s late release of the grants.

“Government equally needs to note that its own policy objective of improving equitable access to quality education at all levels will be a mirage unless more frantic efforts are made to support the growth and development of education in every part of the country, particularly the deprived areas like the northern regions,” NORPRA stressed.

Mr Avoka said although government had announced that the grants had been released and would be credited to the various schools’ accounts latest by Monday, May 14, it should ensure that all arrears in respect of the grants for the first and second terms were paid to avoid the academic facilities grinding to a halt.**