Policy Of Disallowing Party Activities At Schools Holds - GES

The Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES), Mr Samuel Bannerman-Mensah, has repeated that the policy of disallowing political party activities on campuses of second-cycle schools still holds.

He explained that the move was not against any particular political party but to ensure that school activities were not disturbed.

He was reacting to allegations by the Prof. J.E.A. Mills Campaign Office purporting that despite the directive, the flag bearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, was seen addressing some students.

“Watching 'Nana's Diary', an NPP sponsored programme on GTV, on Tuesday, September 30, 2008, Nana Akufo-Addo was seen addressing the students of Ntroboman Secondary School in the Krachi District,” the statement, signed by Mr Koku Anyidoho, Director of Communications of the Prof. J.E.A. Mills Campaign Office, said.

Mr Bannerman-Mensah further explained that his outfit would investigate the NDC allegation to ascertain its veracity or otherwise.

According to the NDC complaint, “Last year, when Prof. Atta Mills started his door-to-door and house-to-house campaign, and made it a point to interact with pupils, students and teachers as well, the Ghana Education Service (GES) fired a letter to schools ordering Heads not to allow Professor Mills onto their campuses”.

It said the GES, via a letter signed by its Director-General, Michael Nsowah, ordered schools not to allow Professor Mills to interact with students and teachers with the reason that the NDC leader's visits had the tendency of disturbing teaching and learning of the schools.

The statement reminded the GES that since time immemorial, guests visited schools every now and then to interact with pupils, students and teachers, which is all part of the process of opening up minds.

“The question is, has the GES, through Michael Nsowah, ordered schools to now open their doors to politicians?” the statement asked.

“The Office of Professor Mills is asking Mr Bannerman-Mensah to make the position of the GES clear on the subject in question lest he leaves us with every reason to believe that his directive was not because he meant well as regards the need for students to focus on their studies,” the statement added.