MoE asked to ‘ban’ PTA’s over interdiction of headteachers of SHSs

The National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) following the interdiction of headteachers of some Senior High Schools has urged the Ministry of Education to ban the Parents Association scheme in second-cycle schools if it is found to undermine the Free Senior High School (SHS) policy.

The pre-tertiary teacher union call follows the recent interdiction of the Ahantaman Senior High School headteachers and St. Roses Senior High School in Akwatia by the Ghana Education Service (GES) over illegal collection of fees.

But speaking at a press conference, the President of NAGRAT, Mr Angel Carbonu said that the fees in question tagged as a violation of the Free SHS policy were initiated by the Parents Association and not the school’s administration.

Describing the heads of schools’ interdiction as unfair, the teacher union president has called for the immediate reinstatement of the two headteachers, stressing that their removal was unjust and based on misguided accusations.

“With the coming in of the Free Senior High School, this role of the PTAs was abandoned. And what we have in the school is PA, that is, Parents Association without the teachers.”

In the case in question, the PAs among themselves, agreed on an amount of money to contribute for a purpose. If the ministry feels that the presence of the PAs is affecting negatively, the smooth running of the schools within the context of a free senior high school, the ministry can ban the formation of PAs outrightly,” Carnonu told journalists.

Last year, GES took decisive action by interdicting eleven Senior High School headteachers across the Greater Accra, Ashanti and Bono Regions for their alleged involvement in charging unauthorized fees from first-year students.

The affected headteachers were 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.

Others include 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.

Also interdicted by the Ghana Education Service (GES) for the same charge were the Headmaster of Berekum Senior High School, and Joseph Jilinjeh Abudu, Headmaster of Odomaseman Senior High School.

The Ghana Education Service (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.