Chief Takes Education Service To Tax On School Fees

Ekwamase (Central Region), 23 Oct.,

A traditional ruler has called on the Ministry of Education to clarify the issue on payment of school fees in the primary and junior secondary schools in the country. The Abontsindomhene of Abeadze Traditional area in the Central Region, Nana Nketiah Afful, said some time last year, the then Minister of Education, Mr. Harry Sawyer announced that no school fees will be paid in primary and junior secondary schools. Nana Afful who was addressing a press conference at Ekwamase today said the decision to abolish the payment of fees, which is in line with the Free Compulsory Universal Basic Education (FCUBE) programme, is a welcome news to parents and guardians. "......but many parents are getting confused when the district, municipal and the metropolitan assemblies came out with fees which were even higher than what the Ministry of Education had abolished, "he said. The new fees ranged from 2,500 cedis to more than 10,000 cedis per a child. Nana Afful said if the Ministry of Education now finds the need for the assemblies to levy school fees then it should come out with a fixed one because the present situation where fees vary from district to district is creating problems for parents.