Volta Region Minister, Archibald Yao Letsa, is alleging that some school heads in the region are sabotaging the free Senior High School (SHS) policy.
According to him, some headmasters and headmistresses are extorting monies from parents anxious to get their wards enrolled.
Citing the Keta SHS as an example, the Volta Regional Minister said parents are made to pay GHC250 for hostel for their wards
“I quickly rushed there and asked them to stop but when I left, they told the parents the boarding house is full and turned them away” he stated.
Mr Letsa said he could not fathom why heads of institutions will sabotage such an initiative aimed at making education free for all.
He has since directed heads of schools who are extorting monies from parents to refund them or risk a hefty sanction.
“I have set up a monitoring team, the Municipal Assembly and whistle blowers are all on the ground to ensure the right things are done” he added. This unfortunate incident, he noted is one of the few challenges some parents are facing in the Volta region since secondary school enrollment for the 2017/2018 academic year commenced.
Archibald Yao Letsa believes some heads of schools are using dubious means to rake in money and implored the Education Ministry to sanitize the system.
“Some selfish people who are worried they can’t collect monies anymore are doing everything possible to do it but we won’t allow them to sabotage such a lauded programme” he stressed.