The incoming President of the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), Angel Carbonu, believes the Ghana Education Service’s sanctioning of head teachers for allegedly charging illegal fees under the Free SHS policy, was inconsiderate, looking at the infrastructure constraints in those schools.
“All the heads that have been found to be guilty came from schools with serious challenges with infrastructure and situations obstructive to teaching and learning,” Mr. Karbonu noted on Eyewitness News.
Two head teachers were demoted, and seven others interdicted after they were invited for questioning by the GES on Thursday, to respond to allegations that they were requesting parents and guardians to pay fees already absorbed by the government under its free SHS policy.Mr. Carbonu noted that, for some of these situations, like the case of La PRESEC, whose head teacher was charging fees for furniture the school needed, judgment calls were made because the schools were left with no choice but to solicit for help from parents.
“Now what do you think a very prudent head will do in this situation… That headmaster looks at the situation and immediately, the only thing he can do is resort to the beneficiaries of that facility, that is the parents.”
In his estimation, Mr. Carbonu said a majority of parents willingly pay these additional fees, but the minority make complaints that are given a mileage by the media.
External support needed
When it comes down to it for Mr. Carbonu, schools in Ghana ultimately need support from the likes of parents to sustain appreciable standards.
He noted that, the top class schools excel “because a group of people have put themselves there to make donations to the school; either old students, benefactors of the school or parents.”
As an example, he added that: “the parents of students in Wesely Girls [Senior High School] contribute enormously to what that school is today. That is why everybody wants to go to Wesely Girls.”
The need for furniture at La PRESEC compelled the head to ask for extra fees
This support becomes necessary because the schools have to contend with unforeseen expenditures, alongside the infrastructure deficits, which the government may not be covering in the free SHS policy, Mr. Carbonu said.
These issues are compounded by the fact that schools are still contending with arrears for the last academic year.
“Some of the heads were even cautioned that if monies come for the Free SHS, you cannot use it to pay arrears because they have arrears waiting for them; huge ones and local contractors are after them,” according to Mr. Cabornu.
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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.om/Ghana