The leadership of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) and the Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS) have met with the Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES) Dr. Eric Nkansah to discuss a possible reinstatement of the headmasters who were interdicted for charging unapproved fees.
General-Secretary of the GNAT, Thomas Musah said that they were able to table before the GES, the concerns of the headmasters during the meeting and expressed the hope that the heads would be reinstated.
Speaking in an interview with TV3’s Daniel Opoku on Wednesday, December 13, he said “We felt we needed to engage GES further because it is not always that you rush to the public domain. This one, we felt we needed to engage GES to see how best we can iron out all the differences and the issues.
“Yesterday, the national executives of the GNAT, and CHASS had a fruitful discussion with the Director-General and the leadership of the GES and I want to use this opportunity to thank the Director-General for the fruitful discussions.
“The outcome of all the issues that were discussed will be communicated to them and believe that their president will do the same and get back to them. I believe that by the close of the day all the issues and all the difficulties, the differences that came up leading to the interdictions will be put to rest. I believe that headteachers in these different areas will soon be considered.”
“We want to thank the Director-General that he will tamper justice with mercy with all the issues that have happened based upon the fruitful discussions we had with him yesterday,” he added.
Headmasters in seven Senior High Schools in Ashanti Region were asked to step aside for collecting unauthorized monies from candidates placed in their schools.
This was contained in directives issued by the GES to these headteachers via separate letters.
The senior high schools were; Kumasi Girls, Asanteman, Kumasi, Manso Adubia, Agric Nzema Community, Nkawie and Collins Senior High School.
“It has come to the notice of Management the collection of unauthorised monies as part of the admission process,” a letter dated December 8, 2023 to the Headmasters read.
The letter listed the unauthorised monies to include payments for; sewn anniversary cloth, House dues, sale of books, sale of calculators, and sale of anniversary cloth among others.
The Headmasters were therefore asked to hand over with immediate effect.
“Based on the above and as the code of conduct stipulates, you are to step aside for investigation to be conducted. you are hereby directed to hand over all properties of the school with effect from 8th December, 2023 to the Regional Director of Education,” the GES directed.