Parents in Sunyani have expressed anger and resentment over unapproved fees, which continues to be charged by some public basic schools in the municipality.
The schools are collecting from them all manner of fees – maintenance, security, cultural, fence wall, computer and extra classes.
They raised the concerns at a forum on the capitation grant held at Baakoniaba in the municipality.
It was organized jointly by the Local Accountability Network – a group of NGOs working to promote education and health development, and the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC).
The parents said they found it difficult to understand why school heads should collect from them such fees, when they had been receiving capitation grant from the government.
Mr. Kwadwo Adu, Organizer of the Baakoniaba Unit Committee, said it was disheartening to see children sent home by teachers for non-payment of the unapproved fees.
Some of them are not even allowed to write their terminal examination.
Maame Vida Siekoma, a farmer at Jato-Nkwanta, also complained about the situation where canes were used on children, who defaulted in the payment of those monies.
Pastor Emmanuel Owusu, Chairman of the School Management Committee of the Anglican cluster of schools in Sunyani, noted that, this had come about all because the government had not been releasing the capitation grant on time.
He called for an upward adjustment of the grant from the present GH¢ 4.50 per child, which he said is inadequate.
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Source: GNA
