Stick to GES harmonised prospectus - Board Chairman charges SHS heads
The Board Chairman of the Gomoa Dawurampong Senior High Technical School in the Central Region, Noble Francis Essel Okyeahene, has appealed to heads of second cycle schools to stick to what is contained in the harmonised prospectus issued by the Ghana Education Service in the admission of fresh students to their institutions.
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That, he said, was to avoid charging unapproved fees which could land them in trouble.
Mr Okyeahene, who is the Director of the Onua Francis International School, cited the case where 11 heads of senior high schools were interdicted for charging unapproved fees as an example.
“The heads should follow strictly according to what is on the prospectus so that they don’t run into trouble. In the meantime, I would urge the GES to temper justice with mercy.
This, I believe should be a lesson to all heads since the policy of government is free secondary school and so let’s make this work,” he said.
On December 10, 2023, the GES issued separate statements announcing the interdiction of 11 SHS heads across the Greater Accra, Ashanti and Bono regions for their alleged involvement in charging unauthorised fees for new students.
The GES accused the heads of charging students various unapproved fees, including house dues, books, calculators, admission processing fees, and the printing of slips, files and hymn books.
Interacting with journalists at an annual funfair organised by the Onua Francis International School at Gomoa Buduburam in the Central Region, Mr Okyeahene said it was disheartening and disturbing to hear that some heads of schools had been interdicted.
“This should not happen again because government has said everything is free,” he said, and added that the warning to the heads was enough.
Mr Okyeahene, who is also the Director of Young Executive Schools at Kasoa, called on heads to use the cases of their colleagues as examples and do the right thing.
“I once again plead with the government to pardon them because I believe they have learnt lessons from their interdiction,” he emphasised.
He said there was the need to support the government execute the free senior high school programme for the benefit of Ghanaian children in order to develop the right human resources for the development of the country.
BECE
In the recent Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), he said candidates of the YES excelled, resulting in them gaining admission into some top schools in the country.
On the Christmas festivities, Mr Okyeahene appealed to parents to be mindful of the expenditure they make and not use all their money on merrymaking since schools would be reopening in early January next year.
“Let’s be cautious in our expenditures during the Christmas festivities since the children would have to go to school in January.
“Also don’t use the capital you use for the Christmas,” he said.
Mr Okyeahene also charged drivers to desist from unnecessary speeding and overtaking to reduce accidents on roads.
He urged the police to also deal with the recklessness of drivers that misbehaved on the roads in order to save lives.
