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.
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