Ashanti Regional chapter Chairman of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) Prosper Tachie, has criticized the Ghana Education Service (GES) for what he describes as unprofessional conduct in the manner the GES handled eleven headmasters and mistresses who allegedly took unapproved monies from parents of fresh students.
Tachie expressed disapproval of the GES’s decision to display the interdiction letters of the affected headmasters and mistresses on social media before officially informing them.
He insisted that such actions are unacceptable in any professional setting, stating, “We see the posture of GES as an attempt to disgrace headmasters and mistresses.”
In an interview with Millicent Grace Safo Adu on Bresosem at Abusua96.5FM, Tachie questioned the basis of the interdiction and the quick issuing of sanctions without hearing the accused.
He also highlighted the collective nature of the decision-making process in school administration, suggesting that singling out the heads for interdiction was unjust.
“Sometimes, most often than not, the reports we pick from parents or outside sources are false”, he noted.
Tachie further addressed the challenges faced by school heads in the context of the Free Senior High School (SHS) policy, emphasizing that the policy does not cover exact collection,
“so if a housemaster asks the parent to acquire or buy it, do we blame that on the headmaster or mistress for taking unapproved money,” he quizzed.
According to Tachie, there are genuine cases where teachers will take money from parents to do placements for them and afterwards still blame the headmaster or mistress for such acts.
“In other instances, Parent Associations mount tables and demand money from parents and blame heads, which GNAT terms as unfortunate,” he argued.
Tachie also addressed the challenges faced by school heads in the context of the Free Senior High School (SHS) policy pointing out that “school heads were going through almost magical means to keep their schools afloat.
“The challenges heads go through are beyond imagination. Sometimes to raise money to procure certain things to feed the students, you may think they’re magicians,” he stressed.
He however applauded the government for the free SHS initiative and called on the government to give room for parents to support the policy.
“We shouldn’t think everything is smooth; let’s give room for parents to support”,” he advised.
Tachie further expressed confidence in the investigation involving the affected headmasters and mistresses.
“We have presented our complaints to the employer. We believe that a positive outcome will result from the investigation involving the affected headmasters and mistresses,” he stated.
Interdiction
The GES accused the headteachers of charging students various unapproved fees, including house dues, books, calculators, admission process fees, and charges for the printing of slips, files, and hymn books.
The affected headteachers are Selina Anane Afoakwa, Headmistress of Kumasi Girls SHS, Nataniel Asamoah, Headmaster of Asanteman SHS, Andrews Boateng, Headmaster of Kumasi Senior High Technical School, Kwadwo Obeng-Appiah, Headmaster of Manso-Edubia SHS, Daniel Boamah Duku, Headmaster of the Agric Nzema Community SHS, Gladys Sarfowah, Headmistress of Nkawie Senior High Technical School, Ampong Ahmed Omar, Headmaster of Collins SHS, Afi Yaw Stephen, Headmaster of Berekum Senior High School, and Joseph Jilinjeh Abudu, Headmaster of Odomaseman Senior High School.
Additionally, the headteachers of O’Reilly Senior High School and Ghana Senior High School, Nadia Lartechoe Annan and Patience Naki Mensah, respectively, are also part of the interdicted group.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/103.5FM/Kojo Owusu
