Achimota demand voluntary fees

(The Evening News) -- After protests by parents against the payment of exorbitant fees at the Achimota School, the school authorities have designed a subtle method again to charge high fees.

Though the Ghana Education Service (GES) has directed all second cycle schools to charge ¢418,000 for boarders and ¢24,000 for day students, the Achimota School is charging ¢630,000 for borders and ¢236,000 for day students. The increase of 212,000 cedis for both categories of students is being levied in the name of items the school admits are not allowed to appear on the bill.

Though the students are paying for core science and the use of Science Resource Centre on the legal bill, they are also paying for Science Practicals, Agricultural Science and Home Science among others on the “illegal” bill. Consequently, some parents have expressed concern about the attempt by the school to extort monies from them and called on the GES to let its directive be respected by all schools.

A letter dated December 24, 2001 written by the headmistress of the school, Mrs Charlotte Brew-Graves, and sent to parents whose wards are in the school, said the GES directive which reduced fees for the first term is likely to reduce standard in the school.

“Viewed against the level of fees to be paid for the second term, the school appeals to parents and guardians to donate to the school to enable it to purchase inputs for teaching and learning and other vital areas to enable it to maintain standard,” the letter said. In spite of the appealing tone of the letter, children whose parents are unable to pay the extra bill are being embarrassed and sent home to compel their parents to pay.

Mrs Brew-Graves informed the parents through the letter that government’s subsidy of ¢100,000 cedis per student for SS2 and SS3 for the first term has been received and students have been credited with it. When contacted, Mr Brew-Graves, headmistress of the school confirmed the story but explained that it was “just an appeal launched by the school”.

She said no parent is under strict obligation to pay for items listed under the appeal. Though not compulsory, Mrs Brew-Graves emphasized that students whose parents do not respond to the appeal by paying for items such as Science Practicals, Agricultural Science, Home Science, Computer and other such items would not benefit from the facility.

The headmistress said, in this era of technological advancement, it would be very unfortunate that students who pass through Achimota would come out illiterates in computer. According to her, she was aware that some parents were going to take her on for charging arbitrary fees if those items under the appeal had been added to the actual fees. She emphasized that no student would be forced to pay.