Regional News of Sunday, 15 December 2013

Source: GNA

Don't charge unapproved school fees - Ministry warns

Heads of second-cycle institutions who charge unapproved fees would be sanctioned, Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, Minister of Education, has said.

"The Ministry of Education and Ghana Education Service frown on such unhealthy practices as they contradict laid down and approved admission processes," she said.

The Minister said this in a speech read at the 64th Anniversary celebration and Prize-giving day of Prempeh College in Kumasi theme; "Stakeholders as Partners in Sustaining the Success Story of Prempeh College".

The heads of seven second-cycle institutions in the Ashanti Region, including Prempeh College, were recently handed various punishments for charging unapproved fees.

They were said to have requested parents of fresh students to buy building materials and other unapproved items before being offered admission to their wards.

Professor Opoku-Agyemang said charging unapproved fees had the potential to deny many qualified fresh students admission into the institutions.

The Minister lauded the founding fathers for the programme, saying the college was one of the elite institutions to have maintained its good track record of producing a disciplined crop of students committed to nation-building.

Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Asantehene, in a message delivered on his behalf, urged the old students to contribute positively towards the college's sustained growth.

The Reverend Dr Kwabena Opuni-Frimpong, Board Chairman, apologised to all stakeholders for the inconveniences caused, following the unapproved fees charged by the college recently.