Opinions of Friday, 10 March 2023

Columnist: Rockson Adofo

Open but silent corruption going on in the Senior High Schools by the headmasters/headmistresses

File photo File photo

I am not the least enthused by the cleverly-designed practice by the headmasters and headmistresses of the Ghana Senior High Schools to corruptly enrich themselves.

I am myself a witness to the unnecessarily long list of prospectus issued to the students by their schools.

The long list of items to be purchased by students and inspected by appointed tutors on their arrival to campus is clearly a device for perpetration of silent corruption.

As there was once a silent trade that culminated in the abominable slave trade, so is there today a silent official corruption in perpetuation by the heads of our free Senior High Schools.

Why are students being obligatorily asked to come to school with the following items - broom, hoe, machete (cutlass), mop and scrubbing brush?

How many hoes, cutlasses, mops, etc. does a Senior High School need and what use will they be put to?

For better conveyance of my points to, and comprehension by, the public, let me cite my former Kumawu Tweneboa Kodua Secondary School to buttress my contention.

Tweneboa Kodua Senior High School has currently a student population of about four thousand. If each student is required to bring to school a hoe, cutlass, mop, scrubbing brush, how and where will they be stored?

Will the items be stored in their "chop box", under their bed, or in a purpose-built warehouse?

Will the school need such a volume of cutlasses, mops, brooms, scrubbing brushes and hoes as are required from each student?

From my inquiries, the heads of the institutions do dispose off most of the items by illegal sales to the public through their arranged contacts.

Assuming that is not true, where are the items kept and what is that large quantity needed for?

There are many questions to be answered. There are more questions than answers as regards the disgusting behaviours of the heads of the free SHS.

If these deplorable, questionable and corrupt attitudes by the heads of the schools are not checked, they will soon compel the students to come with axes and spades.

The government's objective for free Senior High Schools is being negated by the inherent corrupt attitudes of the heads and management of the schools.

I hear some people say they are paying bribes from Ghs3,500.00 to Ghs7,000.00 before they could secure boarding admissions for their wards.

Why is corruption so endemic in Ghana to the point of corrupting the very flesh and soul of the Ghanaian?

Is the Minister of Education, Mr. Adutwum, aware of the corrupt practice by the heads of the schools to defeat President Nana Akufo-Addo's aim for establishing the free SHS education?

Are the Ghana Education Service aware of the corruption in practice by the schools' management?

Sack corrupt heads of schools and stop your lazy and incompetent approach to dealing with malpractices in the schools.

Why has law enforcement become so weak in Ghana to facilitate the thriving of lawlessnesses and corruption in Ghana to dent the image and reputation of Ghana and Ghanaians?