The Public Relations Officer of Ghana Education Service (GES) has denied reports that senior high schools (SHS) in Northern region have closed down over delays in the release of feeding grants. 

Whilst he concedes that the feeding grants were yet to be paid, Rev. Jonathan Bettey told Joy News the students were asked to stay home due to the just ended Basic Education Certificate Examinations (BECE) and not because of the non-payment of feeding grants.

Earlier reports suggested that senior high schools in the Upper East, Upper West, and the Northern regions have been closed down due to delays in the release of the feeding grants.

Some headmasters told Joy News the government is yet to pay feeding grants for the 2015-2016 academic year.

One teacher said the situation would affect students as they would have limited time to finish the syllabi.

Joy News' Northern regional correspondent, Hashmin Mohammed reported on Monday that classrooms remained empty when he visited some schools in the region.

In the Upper East region, Joy News' Upper East correspondent, Albert Sore reported that students were sent home for mid-term holidays and had been told not to report to school until they are told to.

He said heads of the schools remained tight-lipped when he approached them for interviews.

The Public Relations Officer of the Ghana Education Service who reportedly visited some schools in the regions said students were sent home because some schools were used as centres for the BECE.

Rev. Bettey said the Service has met with heads of the various schools and documents for the grants of the schools are being processed.

"The money is not a problem...now that the BECE is over, the students are reporting today [Monday]. I can even see some of them moving," Rev. Bettey claimed.

He, however, assured that the monies would "hit the accounts of the schools by close of today."