School heads want fees raised

The Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CRASS) has appealed to the government to consider reviewing upwards, feeding fees and subsidies in second cycle schools for the, 2010/2011 academic year, which begins Monday.

"The decision to request for an upward adjustment in fees payable, is informed by the prevailing market prices of major food items and services that the schools depend on to feed the, students," the national secretary, Felix Essah-Hienno, told the Times Sunday on phone.


He said CHASS had already submitted proposals to the management of the Ghana Education Service (GES) to review all fees, such as feeding and clothing, because the present fee level was woefully inadequate for the schools to operate with.


Mr. Essah-Hienno, who is the headmaster of Okuapeman Senior High School, said the current feeding fee ofGH¢1.20 per student per term, was woefully inadequate and "CHASS has proposed fee levels between GH¢ 1.50 and GH¢2".


He said the feeding fee catered for food items, fuel (firewood and liquefied petroleum gas), cooking utensils and haulage charges.


"We are also asking for an upward adjustment in total fee payable on admission, from GH¢114.80p to GH¢140 per student in respect of school uniforms, house dresses, P.E. kits internal examination, library, SRC, entertainment, bed user and science resource centre, because the existing fees are not realistic," he added.

He said students at present paid GH¢ 18 for two sets of school uniforms; GH¢13 for two sets of house dresses;" GH¢7 for P.E. Kits, GH¢2 for internal examination; library get 50p; SRC - 10p; entertainment - 30p; science resource centre - 40p and bed user fee - 50p.


CHASS, he said, had proposed GH¢28 for uniforms; GH¢20 for house dress; PE kits - GH¢10; examination - GH¢5; library - GH¢ 1.50p; SRC - 50p; entertainment - 50p; science resource - GH¢ I and bed user - GH¢1.


Mr. Essah-Hienno said the association had also proposed GH¢27.70 as government's subsidy, instead of the existing subsidy of GH¢ 17.95 per term per student in respect of general stationery and maintenance of office equipment, first aid, building maintenance, sports and culture.


Others are sanitation, postage, practical examination fee, furniture maintenance and utilities.


Meanwhile Kwadwo B. Donkor reports from Kumasi; that as part of measures to case the accommodation problems facing most secondary schools in admitting new students, CHASS has proposed that the President direct district Assemblies to provide pavilions for the schools within the next four weeks.

It said the district assemblies should ensure that all public schools lacking classrooms to admit new students were provided with temporary structures such as the pavilions in the shortest possible time.


In a five-point communiqué issued at its end of the week-long 48th Annual Meeting, CHASS also called for, "a state policy on education which can stand the test of time than what we have been experiencing."


The conference also asked the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service, as a matter of urgency, to announce an appropriate and realistic opening date for first year students.


The new date, according to CHASS, which should be between October 30 and November 1, would enable the government to address the furniture and boarding problems facing most secondary schools.


"Almost all the 495 public senior high schools face serious and precarious classroom and dormitory accommodation problems to house the first-year students whose placement have been released," it said.