Minister cautions heads of second cycle schools

Mr. Lee Ocran, Minister of Education on Thursday reiterated the caution to heads of second cycle schools to refrain from charging students in first and final years a full year’s fees.

He said the Ministry, District and Metropolitan Executives were investigating reports of illegal collection of fees and the Ministry would take strong disciplinary action against such heads.

In an interview with journalists in Takoradi, the Minister said he has received reports that some heads were flouting the directives contained in the statement to heads of such institutions about three weeks ago.

The Minister was at a loss as to why these reported illegal collections were still being done by some heads despite the support by the Conference of Heads of Assisted School (CHASS) to the directive.

He suspected that the reported illegal action was politically motivated as a scheme against the government to imply that it was making it unbearable for parents and guardians to send their children to second cycle schools.

Mr. Ocran called on parents and guardians to report such heads to the police or the political heads of the district for immediate punitive action.

According to the Minister, the practice was said to be rife in the Ashanti Region and added that, he had drawn the attention of the security agencies.

He called on people to volunteer information on such schools and the heads involved.