Free SHS Policy under Threat at Assin North Secondary/Technical School (ANSTECH)
The Free Senior High School policy is under threat at the Assin North Secondary/Technical School (ANSTECH), as caterers go in search of fire woods from bushes and farms close by to the campus before they are able to prepare meals for the numerous school population.
According to the caterers, this situation makes the students eat late all the time. “They don’t eat at the right time; they eat lunch around 2:30 pm and have their dinner after preps that is around 9 pm. So every day we (caterers) close after 10 pm; and have to come back as early as 4 am the following morning.”
They say this firewood problem has been persisting for over two years now. They have accused the Headmistress, Mrs. Miriam Adjei Amponsem, for not buying firewood for them since she took over the administration of the school in Assin Asempaneye in the Assin North Municipality. The Headmistress is in her third year and is the originator of this policy.
“This woman has provided firewood only once since she came. We have complained for long. The school’s management, the P.T.A board and almost all the staff here are aware of this problem but they are afraid to confront the Headmistress. She is very autocratic and has bad human relations so it’s difficult approaching her”; one of the embittered pantry staff sated.
When journalists wanted to hear from the Headmistress, she raised her voice and sacked us from the campus and even got one of us arrested; saying we broke protocol in entering the school premises – something that is untrue. Our investigations revealed that Mrs. Miriam Adjei Amponsem had warned the staff months ago, not to allow any journalist into her campus.
She has told the security officers at the entrance to call her on phone to inform her if any visitor wants to meet her in the office for her approval before they allow that person in. Even though the workers find some of these measures wired, they haven’t questioned the motive.
Also, the pantry staff revealed they have a gas cylinder with burner for cooking but because they are not in use for the past two years, they are rusting. Apart from the cylinder not been filled for that long, the kitchen also leaks, so when it rains, the equipment are affected.
Meanwhile, the Headmistress, Mrs. Adjei Amponsem is threatening to lay off the workers who let this ‘secret’ out to journalists. In defence, she is accusing them of not only breaking her orders not to speak with the press, but are conniving with the press to poison the food of the children. She has since been part of the kitchen staff since Friday 29th September, when journalists went to the school.
Daniel Koranteng Kwagyiri|ahotoronline.com|Ghana
