Ashanti Regional Minister Meets Directors Of Education Over Fee-Free SHS

The Ashanti Regional Minister, Peter Anarfi-Mensah has tasked Directors of Education and Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives in the region to strictly monitor the charging of school fees of first year students to prevent any unlawful billing.

Also, metropolitan, municipal and district Directors of Education must create a forum for parents to take the education of their wards serious.

The Minister made this known when he met with District Directors of Education and MMDCEs to brainstorm on how best to enhance quality education in the region in Kumasi.

Issues discussed included the state of logistics supply in the various districts, and monitoring and management of confidential information pertaining to the directorates of education.

Mr. Anarfi-Mensah said government has instructed Heads of senior high schools to charge continuing day students only Parent-Teacher Association dues, as it has absorbed their school fees.

He urged the District Directors of Education and MMDCEs to collaborate and ensure that an enabling environment is created to enhance teaching and learning.

The Minister expressed worry that although there has been information that the various metropolitan and municipal areas and districts have received logistics for teaching especially chalk, some school heads have been requesting parents to purchase  chalk, while other school heads delay in collecting their share of logistics from the respective directorates of education.

The Ashanti Regional Director of Education, Mrs. Mary Owusu Achiaw on her part instructed each district to form a school fees audit Task Force to monitor the various schools on how much they charge, especially first year students.

During the forum, it was revealed all the districts have received quantities of chalk, while some have received registers and teachers’ notebooks.

It was agreed that there is enough chalk to take the schools through most part of the first term.