Accra, Oct. 15, GNA - Some Senior High Schools in the Accra metropolis are facing severe challenges with accommodation for first year students, who were supposed to report to school on Friday. When GNA visited Accra Girls Senior High School to find out what measures have been put in place to accommodate the new students, officials declined to comment on the issue.

However, one of them said the students would report to the school to collect their uniforms and stationery after which the school authorities would meet with the parents to discuss the problem. The six-unit block which is to accommodate them has only reached the foundation level and the 12-classroom block being constructed under GETFund, which was about 85 per cent complete when Nii Armah Ashitey, Greater Accra Regional Minster, toured schools in the metropolis on the October 8 has still not been completed.

First year students at Labone Senior High School have been asked to report to school on Monday. However, they would be going to school as day students until the dormitories have been completed. At a meeting between the school authorities and parents of first year students, parents who live outside Accra were advised to arrange alternative accommodation for their wards until the first week in November, when school authorities hope they would be able to complete work on the dormitories with help from the school's Parent-Teacher Association (PTA).

A member of the PTA also suggested that every child should bring a plastic chair to school.

This is because the chairs to be provided by government are not ready. When those chairs are delivered, parents can decide whether to donate the plastic chairs to the school or to take them back. The parents also did not know how much they would pay as fees as the Ghana Education Service has not told them how much they are. Prospectus and PTA bills have also not been given to the parents. Meanwhile they have been asked to pay a deposit of GH¢300.00 for boarding students and GH¢200.00 as PTA levy to help them complete construction of the structures.

School authorities said if the bill issued by the GES was less than the amount deposited, the balance would be credited to the parents and if it was more they would top-up with the difference.