Headteachers charging illegal fees to be dealt with

Nandom, (U/W) Nov 20, GNA- Mr. Ambrose Dery, Upper West Regional Minister on Sunday called for full-scale investigations into the alleged illegal school fees being charged in some schools in the Upper West Region He said the payment of capitation grant to schools throughout the country covered both cultural and sports fees and those who were allegedly charging those fees separately were contravening the rules and would therefore be made to face the full rigours of the law. Mr. Dery made this call when he opened a three-day second annual conference of Managers of National Vocational and Technical Institute (NVTI) centers at Nandom in the Upper West Region.

The Managers who are drawn from all the 38 NVTIs of the country would among other things share ideas on self-reliance, funding of school activities, placement on West African Examination Council (WAEC) selection cards and recruitment of teachers into their institutes. Mr. Dery said those who were charging the illegal fees in their schools were enemies of the government and were therefore doing everything possible to sabotage policies that could be workable for so many years

He said government's institution on local wears on Fridays was a way of encouraging local industries and called on those engaged in the production of such wears to adhere to producing quality goods that would attract both domestic and external markets.

Mr. Godwin Kudese, National president of the conference of NVTI managers appealed to the government to give them grants to take care of the administration of the schools just like senior secondary schools since it was becoming extremely difficult for them to be self-reliant. "Apart from salaries of tutors and of late utility bills, the government does not take care of us in any other field thereby making the training of human resource in the country a difficult task," he added.

Mr. Kudese also appealed to the government to consider listing all the Vocational schools on the WAEC school selection list to give students the opportunity to know the location of the schools and to make their choice.

"Currently a lot of schools admit below their capacity, because students are not aware of them and we believe that if they are listed on the selection card it will help publicize those schools." He also called on the government to provide them with the necessary equipment in their schools to enable them to train the students efficiently.

Naa Puore Puobi Chiir, Paramount chief of the Nandom Traditional Area, promised to release land for school projects. He also appealed to his colleague chiefs to consider visiting all schools within their jurisdiction to encourage parents to send their children to school.