The Ghana National Education Campaign Coalition has condemned in no uncertain terms a directive by the Upper West Akyem District Assembly to collect GH4 cedis as Sports and Culture fee.

According to the Coalition, the directive, does not only fly in the face of efforts to realize Sustainable Development Goal 4, but also unconstitutional.

The said circular which was sent to schools in the district, levied every basic school child with an amount of GHC 4 representing sports and culture levy to be paid annually but a statement by the Education Campaign Coalition signed by its Executive Council Chairman, Kofi Asare, says the action is against the constitutional provision and government’s policy of providing free compulsory universal basic education.

“If the District Assembly is not aware, the Capitation Grant was introduced in 2005 to take care of such levies and fees in basic schools. No child should therefore be burdened with any additional costs under the guise of sports and culture,” the statement said.

The coalition is thus calling on the Minister of Education and the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development to sanction the District Chief Executive of Upper West Akim and order him to refund to parents, any money received under the said illegal fees.

The umbrella body of all Educational NGOs in the country is urging the Ghana Education Service to issue a directive to all basic schools in Ghana, urging them not to pay any fees.

“We finally call on the Director General of the Ghana Education Service to investigate the role of the District Director of Education who happens to be a member of the District Education Oversight Committee (DEOC), the body that recommended the illegal fees,” the statement ended.