Headmasters Extorting Monies from WASSCE Candidates - Student Activist Alleges

An outspoken student activist from the University of Education Winneba , Mampong , Oscar Komla Bedzra has raised an alarm concerning charging what he label as unapproved fees by headmasters in most of the Senior high schools , citing this development as a sabotage on the financial plights of the students .

Oscar Komla Bedzra raised this allegation after he received series of reports concerning the fact that , headmasters are using the opportunity of the examination(WASSCE) season to extort unapproved monies from these innocent children .

"I want to send a strong signal to the headmasters of most Senior High Schools whether openly or secretly charging these unapproved fees that they should desist from chancing upon this year's West African Secondary School Certificate Examination(WASSCE) season to demand unapproved fees and rather get serious at working towards the success of these children who are experiencing one of the difficult moments in their educational ladder". The outspoken student activist said.

He went on to state that , he receives consistent reports each year revolving around the fact that , headmasters resort to charging unapproved fees and extort monies from final year students WASSCE candidates in the name of Parent and Teacher Association(PTA) dues , clearance form , arrears of previous term's school fees among others , citing the development as cruel and totally unacceptable .

The outspoken student activist therefore charged the Minister of Education , Dr. Mathew Opoku Prempeh to as a mater of urgency , intervene in the development by calling for putting strict measures in place in auditing of accounts of second cycle institutions after the said examination if possible.

He went t on to mention some schools in the Volta region , Ashanti region and Brong Ahafo region and beyond .

"I am by this statement putting a humble plea before the Education Minister and his ministry that , they should put measures in place to control this development other than which it will continue to aggravate in the subsequent years" . The outspoken student activist said .

Oscar Komla Bedzra went on to disclose his intentions of contesting for the upcoming National NUGS General Secretary having outlined one policy within the education sector, stating that education in accordance with article 25(1)b should be made a national agenda , he explained .

He then went further by calling on the leadership of the National Union of Ghana Students(NUGS) to stand firm and condemn the development.