Achimota basic school halts mock exams over GES takeover saga

Achimota Preparatory and Junior High School on Monday postponed a scheduled mock examination for pupils on the back of a planned takeover of the management of the school by the Ghana Education Service (GES).

Some teachers told 3news.com Monday that the postponement has been triggered by the back and forth between the school authorities and the GES over the forceful takeover.

The GES is claiming the land on which the Achimota Preparatory and JHS sits, was leased to the school, but it has for years failed to pay the necessary royalties agreed upon.

Accordingly, GES on December 27 last year served notice to the owners of the privately-owned school it will from today “take over the premises” of the school.

“Parents are to be informed that personnel from the Ghana Education Service shall be posted to the school. There is therefore no need for any pupil/student to be withdrawn from the school,” GES said in its letter to the school.

It added: “all government policies applicable to public schools shall be applied to the management of the school”.

But the decision has been met with stiff resistance from owners and teachers of the school as well as some parents who have vowed to ensure the forceful takeover does not happen.

Our correspondent Joseph Armstrong reported from the school premises Monday morning that the GES officials were yet to show up for the takeover.

He said the atmosphere at the school was calm and academic activities have been going on smoothly.

Emergency Meeting

Meanwhile, the GES is currently locked up in an emergency meeting at its head office in Accra over the issue.