[ 2016-11-21 ]

GES interdicts headmistress of Serwaakesse SHS
For the second time in a month, another head of a
second cycle school has been interdicted by the
Ghana Education Service (GES).
The Headmistress of Serwaakesse Senior High School
(SHS) at Duayaw Nkwanta in the Brong Ahafo
Region, Ms Doris Cobbinah, has been interdicted
for collecting unapproved school fees contrary to
the directive of the GES.

Ms Cobbinah is said to have imposed a fee of
GH¢100, being chemical and weeding fees, on all
first-year students who turned up for their
admission letters.

The amount is said to be mandatory for all
first-year students seeking admission.

The Deputy Minister in charge of Pre-Tertiary
Education, Mr Alex Kyeremeh, who confirmed this to
the Daily Graphic, said the school had no right to
unilaterally demand the payment of additional
money, aside from the approved school fees.

Recently, the Headmaster of St Augustine’s
College in Cape Coast, Mr Joseph Connelly, was
interdicted for charging unapproved fees of
GH¢435 as parent-teacher association (PTA) levy,
which the ministry described as illegal.

Disciplinary committee

He said the conduct of Ms Cobbinah had been
referred to a disciplinary committee that would
invite her to listen to her side of the story
before any further action could be taken.

“She will be made to explain to the committee
why she should not be sanctioned,” Mr Kyeremeh
told the Daily Graphic.

He said heads of second cycle schools were aware
of the consequences of adding any amount to the
approved fees.

“We are serious about ensuring that the right
thing is done this time round and any head who
adds any amount, even GH¢10, to the approved fees
will be sanctioned,” he warned.

He called on parents to demand a receipt for any
amount they paid, advising further that they
should pay only the stipulated school fees.

Mr Kyeremeh said all fresh students for the
2016/2017 academic year were expected to pay
GH¢922.20 while those in technical schools were
to pay GHc1,022.20, stressing that “anything
outside this is illegal”.

He lauded the decision of the Director-General
(DG) of the GES to interdict the headmistress.

Insubordination

Mr Kyeremeh said such acts by heads of second
cycle schools who would not abide by the
directives of the DG constituted insubordination.

He advised heads of second cycle schools to desist
from levying unapproved fees on fresh students,
stressing that the GES and the ministry would
continue to ensure that no child was denied
secondary education because of the charging of
illegal fees.

Source - Graphiconline

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