ACC cautions principals of junior secondary schools in Kenema
The Anti-Corruption Commission has on Thursday the 23rd of June 2011, cautioned Principals of Junior Secondary Schools in Kenema not to levy extra or illegal charges on pupils in schools. This caution was given at an emergency meeting of Principals of Junior Secondary Schools in Kenema convened by the ACC and the Eastern Regional Chairman of the Conference of Principals Mr. Sandy Moijueh at the Government Secondary School Hall in Kenema. (Photo: Mr Sandi Moijueh flanked by his Deputy and ACC’s Peter Kamara)
CPSS Regional Exco and ACC Officers
In his opening address the Chairman, Mr. Sandy Moijueh said that he was met by a three man team of ACC officers who raised a number of issues bordering on illegal and extra charges levied on pupils which is why this meeting was convened and called on all present to listen attentively to the ACC officers.
Cross section of JSS Principals in Kenema
Explaining the purpose of the meeting, the Acting Regional Manager of the Anti-Corruption Commission Mr. Peter Baio Kamara stated that during the usual ACC weekly radio discussion programme, parents and guardian have repeatedly phoned in to complain that school authorities levy extra charges on pupils as a precondition for issuing admission or identification notices especially for the BECE candidates and for report cards, practicals and even for submission of assignments. Such charges he stated are illegal if not sanctioned by the Ministry of Education or have not been agreed on unanimously by parents at CTA meetings and minutes of such meetings forwarded to the Ministry of Education for their approval. Mr. Kamara stated they are in constant touch with the Directorate of the Ministry of Education in Kenema to cross check and ascertain whether such charges are sanctioned by the Ministry. He stated in no uncertain terms that the ACC frowns at such charges and warned all school authorities to work in consonance with existing Laws, policies and procedures governing the administration of schools and school charges.
Peter Kamara suggested a range of measures school authorities could employ to avoid imposing extra financial burden on parents especially. Mr. Kamara said it is very unfair to prevent pupils from taking an examination because of non payment of fees for extra classes especially when composite fees have been paid.
Mr. Kamara called on all the principals present to do all within their powers to ensure such practice does not take place in their schools as the Anti-Corruption Commission will leave no stone unturned in its effort to fight corruption through the investigation of such allegations and subsequent prosecution of any school authority found culpable.
Responding, Principals present outlined some of the issues that they said were bottle necks in the effective administration of their schools, such as the shifting of the responsibility of Batch Registration Scheme (BRS) from West African Examination Council (WAEC) to respective schools with all its budget obligations, the decision to have extra remedial lessons agreed upon at CTA meetings by parents, and the non payment of school fees by parents/guardians leaving the school authorities in critical positions and delays in the payment of girl child subsidy by the ministry of education among others. The principals also noted that pupils in a bid to extort monies from their parents inflate school fees and hide behind extra charges. They expressed satisfaction over the move by the ACC officers to address these issues and registered their preparedness to work within the legal framework and cooperate with the ACC.
In his statement, the National President of the Conference of Principals Mr. Michael Samba commended the move of the ACC and maintained that they as administrators are responsible for the implementation of government policies on education in schools for a better Sierra Leone and as such the government should create the enabling environment for them to function effectively and efficiently. He encouraged his colleagues to use the media extensively to educate the public on their constraints as administrators of education as that will help change the perception of the public about them. Mr. Samba maintained that the concerns raised by the ACC are realistic even though they as administrators may not be aware of such activities going on in their schools and asked his colleague principals to be vigilant in the monitoring of their staff to ensure that they strictly operate within the legal framework prescribed in policies and procedures. He promised that the caution will be taken into consideration and acted upon.
Mohamed Sylvanus Blake, District Coordinating Officer-Kenema
Stay with Sierra Express Media, for your trusted place in news!
© 2011, https:. All rights reserved.
