Heads of basic schools at Nkawkaw to refund excess fees

Nkawkaw, Jan. 25, GNA - The Kwahu West District Education Disciplinary Committee has ordered Heads of 40 basic schools within Nkawkaw Circuit A and B to refund 4,000 cedis per pupil in the Primary and 6,000 cedis per student in the Junior Secondary School (JSS). The monies were excess fees collected from the pupils and students for the printing and conduct of mock examinations for the first term last year.

Speaking to the GNA at Nkawkaw on Wednesday, Mr Ferdinard Oppong-Pippim, Chairman of the Committee, said following an investigation into the collection of printing and mock examination fees by the District Education Office, revealed that the affected heads collected 7,000 cedis from each pupil and 15,000 cedis from each JSS student to print and conduct the mock examination but could have spent 4,000 cedis and 6,000 cedis.

He said a three-member committee had been set up to supervise the refund of the monies by the first week of February. Mr Seth Koranteng, District Director of Education, confirmed the issue and said heads of basic schools within the district would be required to sign an undertaking to desist from collecting fees without approval from the District Education Office.

He asked stakeholders in education not to use pupils and teachers as agents in the collection of levies in their desire to support educational activities within the district.

Mr Koranteng appealed to District Assemblies, churches, philanthropists and other development partners to support the district education office with printing machines and printing materials to print examination materials for school children within the district. When some members of the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) of the affected schools were interviewed, they said the fees collected were their contribution to supplement Government's efforts to enhance performance of the pupils and students because the Capitation Grant could not cater for the conduct of those examinations. 25 Jan. 06