People of Mankessim call for Headmaster's removal

Mankessim (C/R), Jan. 25, GNA - The District Chief Executive of Mfantseman, Mr Robert Quainoo-Arthur, has cautioned people against taking the law into their hands.

However genuine their case may be, they must follow laid down regulations, the DCE said.

Mr Quainoo-Arthur was speaking after the police led by the Saltpond District Commander, Mr Chachawucha Mensah, had dispersed a crowd marching to the Mankessim Secondary Technical School to eject the Headmaster, Mr J.E. Techie-Menson from the school on Friday. The crowd led by four Assembly Members, Mr Vincent Biney Amissah, Mr Oscar Kweku Appiah, Mr Samuel Arthur and Mr Frank Etrue Hayford and some divisional chiefs have accused the Headmaster of mismanagement and financial impropriety.

They alleged that Mr Techie-Menson had sacked all the good tutors of the school because they dared to question him about things not properly done.

According to the demonstrators the attitude of the Headmaster contributed to the poor performance of the students in the last Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination.

Mr Amissah who was the spokesman of the group produced a copy of the analysis of the results, which indicated that out of 167 candidates only 36 and 63 passed in English and Mathematics respectively.

Mr Amissah said the school placed 251 in the ratings of public senior secondary schools in the 2003 SSCE.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Mensah declared the demonstration illegal since they did not meet the time frame of notifying the Police, adding that, under the Public Order Act, organisers of public events should notify the police five clear days before the event.

He explained that the Police received their application only two days before the time.

Mr Quainoo-Arthur gave the assurance to meet the District Director of Education on the issue.

The demonstrators appealed to the DCE and the Police to act promptly to resolve the matter.

"We can not sit down unconcern for the future of our youth to be toyed with," the spokesman said.

When contacted, Mr Isaac Bart-Addison, District Director of Education, said he had received a petition from the people calling for the removal of the Headmaster and had forwarded it to the appropriate authorities.

All attempts to get the headmaster for his comments proved futile as he was out of town.