Officials Of Bongo SHS To Refund GHC75 Taken From Students

The management of Bongo Senior High School in the Upper East Region, which charged first-year students GHC75 despite the free secondary education policy, has assured thae affected students of a refund.

Students, who were placed in Bongo Senior High School, were to pay the said money as a Parent Teacher Association levy and other items before they would be issued admission letters by the school.

Students and parents had accused the school’s authorities of charging a PTA levy of GHc15 and GHc60 for a mosquito net, broom, hoe and cutlass, before issuing them admission letters.

Speaking to Citi News about their ordeal, a parent said, “when you come to the school for registration you are asked to go to Bongo Rural Bank to pay GHc15 as PTA dues, while the bank charges GHc5 for the transaction after which you will now come to the school and pay GHc60 for mosquito net, broom and hoe and cutlass before you are given admission letter.”

The head-teacher of the school, Alexis Averu, said though the PTA did not get approval from the school before charging the first years GHc75 for the construction of a fence wall for the school, students who paid the monies will be refunded when they report to school.

Mr. Averu explained that, though the PTA of the school had applied to levy students GHc 75 for the fencing of the school, approval was not given for the charge.

“…But some first-year students who had come last week thought that this is what they were going to pay. I don’t know how they got the school’s account number, a few of them have paid this GHc75 and the monies will be refunded when the affected students report to school.”

“We have to check at the bank to find out how many students have paid, and to withdraw the money and refund them. But we have also instructed the commercial and rural banks not to accept such payments in the name of Bongo Senior High School and have also told first-year students and parents not to pay for any such money,” he added.

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By: Frederick Awuni/citifmonline.com/Ghana