Opinions of Saturday, 2 April 2016

Columnist: Adofo, Rockson

The headmaster of Kumawu Tweneboa Kodua SHS must be serious for once

One thing that irritates me more is to see someone try to underrate my intelligence. This is exactly what the Headmaster of Tweneboa Kodua SHS is doing. Mr Nantwi, the headmaster, was my senior at then Kumawu Tweneboa Kodua Secondary School (T.K.S.S) now renamed Tweneboa Kodua SHS by government policy.

In my last published article on how he is personally ruining the school, I did not say that there are still police personnel living on the campus. However, I conveyed to the public knowledge how he hosted on campus the police personnel who had come to Kumawu with the intention to terrorise Kumawuhene Barima Tweneboa Kodua V and his teeming supporters. He did not only allow the police personnel to feed from the school dining hall but also, closed down the school infirmary to provide an accommodation for them for the entire period or duration that they stayed in Kumawu intimidating the inhabitants. Watch the YouTube video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40J4KEhPPKo

My worry raised was, why should the school infirmary be closed down for such a purely silly undertaking and why should it still remain closed with the qualified nurse moved out of the school since the departure of the mostly unprofessional police personnel? While the infirmary stayed closed, the headmaster was still charging the student population of currently 2,500, GHC15 per term for the use of the school infirmary but which has not been operational since January 2015 when the DCOP Nathan Kofi Boakye’s police personnel descended on Kumawuman citizens like vultures feasting on carcasses.

When I raised the alarm in my recent publication on Ghanaweb, Modernghana and News Ghana titled, “The Headmaster of Tweneboa Kodua Senior High School Is Killing the School Poco A Poco”, he hurriedly arranged a staff meeting and in the week immediately following the publication, he called a Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) meeting.

I do not want to elaborate on all that was said but he was not forthcoming with the truth. Whether I had got my facts wrong, claiming the police are still on the campus since January 2015 or not, that is not the bone of contention. I did not even say, or seemed to say, that the police personnel are still residing on campus since going there in January 2015. I was saying the headmaster accommodated them in the School Infirmary which he has since closed down.

Following my revelations, he has not billed the students for healthcare when their school report was sent out recently. This is what is called a step in the right direction but too little too late. What was he doing with all the healthcare fees collected while the infirmary was closed and is still closed? This is where I can argue that he has committed a crime against the students and their families. This is pure fraud.

Anyway, I am not interested in going deeper into the possible charges that can be preferred against him if he were to be charged to court. Nonetheless, I shall strongly advise him to reopen the school infirmary. I know how useful it is in the lives of the students. He can himself bear me witness, having been once a student of the school. Instead of stopping to bill them as mentioned earlier, he had better continue to charge them on condition that the infirmary is opened.

Why is he selling a book called “Wisdom Guide” written by one Presbyterian Reverend called Dwamina? Has the book any academic relevance to the students or it is simply to enhance their spiritual growing? Is it being sold at GHC30 a copy? Are the students forced or persuaded to purchase the book? Is the headmaster selling the book at a profit and if yes, where does the profit go to or who benefits from the profit?

I expect the headmaster to do better for the school being himself an alumnus, rather than seeking to short-change the students. He must also not see the teachers (masters) who disagree with him on certain things as enemies. In case he sees them as his enemies, then he has to cogitate about this quotation – “If you want to hear the voice of God, start by listening to your enemies”. Again, “Truth will be Truth though it sometimes proves mortifying and distasteful”

Once, T.K.S.S was one of the best secondary schools in Ghana but now, it is a shadow of its former self. Why this? Is it because of a government policy that has forced Ghana schools to produce semi-illiterates across the board – JSS graduates? Is it because of poor administration by the headmaster? Is it because of poor teaching styles? It can be a combination of all factors. Whatever the cause of the poor academic performance of the students is, the onus is on the headmaster to turn it into a better school.

You remember when in our time we had excellent tutors like Messrs Adusei, Opong Brenya (Senior House Master), Amofa, Gaisie and those two very knowledgeable Economics and Government masters whose names have just escaped my mind.

All that I require from you is to get the infirmary re-open. Additionally, continue to supply the students with potable water from Wonoo until Kumawu gets pipe borne water.

I extend my Easter seasonal greetings to the entire staff and students of Kumawu Tweneboa Kodua Senior High School.

Rockson Adofo