General News of Tuesday, 1 July 2008

Source: Ghanaian Chronicle

High Cost of Food Threatens Susec

The authorities of the Sunyani Senior High School (SUSEC) intend closing the school term, before its actual closing date, due to the current high cost of food items.

The Headmaster of the School, Mr. Joseph Awuah, said this at the 2nd Awards Day, held at the school's premises, over the weekend.

According to Mr. Awuah, the school was to spend GH¢5.60p a week per student, but currently spent GH¢8.46p a week per student, adding that parents owed the school a lot of arrears.

He cited that the final year students left a debt of GH¢8,617.17p, and currently the 2nd year students are owing GH¢14,724.80p, whilst the SS1 students owe GH¢13,913.17p, which indebtedness, when added to what the school needs to spend before end of term, there was no way the school could go beyond July 15.

Mr. Awuah reminded parents that the SS2 students would be registering for their final examinations next term, so they should be prepared to pay the registration fees, in addition to next term's fees.

He said the school authorities believed that if parents were able to pay school fees on time, the running of the school would be smooth, therefore urging parents, who have their wards in SS2, to find means of paying their fees early, so that those students would not be disturbed in SS3 with the payment of fees.

The Headmaster stressed that the school would not allow any student, owing a pesewa, to stay in school when it re-opens, on return from mid-term holidays.

Mr. Awuah said that the school had been very peaceful, since the SS3 students left, adding that if the students continued like that, every final year student was going to get Alpha, in his or her subjects.

He entreated parents to advice their wards, to desist from accepting legacies from their friends, as they leave the school, saying "this action results in the transmission of occultism from year group to year group."

The Headmaster expressed concern about the use of mobile phones in the school, advising that if students avoided the use of mobile phones, they would save time and money, and be able to concentrate on their courses.

Mr. Awuah detested the attitude of some parents, who continued to encourage their wards to use the phones in the school.

He, however, stressed that, as decided at the school's PTA meeting, mobile phones would be destroyed when confiscated from students.

He entreated parents to join teachers in bringing up their children, by advising their wards to work hard to achieve some prizes next year.

The Brong-Ahafo Regional Minister, Ignatius Baffour Awuah, presented a brand new lap-top computer to the Best Business Student of the school.