GNAT executive expresses concern over interdiction of SHS Heads for unauthorized fees

Christian Adinkrah, an executive of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), has expressed his dissatisfaction with the interdiction of headmasters from several senior high schools.

The interdictions came as a result of these headmasters charging unapproved fees, a practice that has raised concerns among education authorities.

Adinkrah believes that this punitive action serves as a disincentive for headmasters to take initiatives and address challenges within their schools. He voiced his concerns during an appearance on the Ghana Tonight show on TV3 on Monday, December 11.

The Ghana Education Service (GES) issued directives to seven senior high schools in the Ashanti Region, asking their headmasters to step aside temporarily due to the collection of unauthorized monies from students. In separate letters, the GES outlined the reasons for the interdictions.

The affected schools include Kumasi Girls, Asanteman, Kumasi, Manso Adubia, Agric Nzema Community, Nkawie, and Collins Senior High School.

In a letter dated December 8, 2023, the GES highlighted the collection of unauthorized fees during the admission process. These fees included payments for sewn anniversary cloth, house dues, book sales, calculator sales, and the sale of anniversary cloth, among others. As a result, the headmasters were directed to hand over all properties of the school immediately.

The GES cited the code of conduct as the basis for the interdictions and stressed the need for investigations to be conducted. The headmasters were instructed to hand over all school properties to the Regional Director of Education with effect from December 8, 2023.