There is simmering tension between students of Presbyterian Senior High Technical School in Adukrom- Akuapem and School Authorities over alleged extortions.
The Students are demanding for the suspension of the teachers involve in alleged extortions.They also want a refund of all monies extorted.
Mybrytfmonline.com has gathered that the final year students are threatening to embark on a violent protest after writing their final paper in the ongoing West Africa Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (WASSCE) to put a stop to the alleged canker.
In a petition, the aggrieved students stated that “there have been many corrupt practices made by a small group of teachers which I think that they should be dealt with severely.
1. Extortion of money from students from the house staff; Some small group of teachers headed by Mr Daniel Boadu the senior housemaster have been consistently extorting money from students.They seize phones from students and ask students to pay a fee of 60 cedis which they claim they use it to buy net and luva blades for the school. The question is, any money collected in the name of the school should be sent to the school bank account through the school’s accountant but in this case, the money is sent to the teacher who seized the phone personal Mobile money account or collected in cash by the senior housemaster. A prove photograph has been attached to verify what I am saying.
2. Also anytime school reopens after Mr Boadu took over as the senior housemaster these same teachers stands in the name of the administration to tell students to pay either 10 cedis or 20 cedis for brooms, washing powder and others. I was punished one day by the senior housemaster to pack the brooms which first-year students brought to the school and I was very surprised to see that most of those unused brooms were spoiled because we don’t use them and so insects had destroyed almost half of it . These teachers still collect money from students in the name of buying these items. If a student refuses to pay the amount assigned he/ she is not giving a dormitory to sleep in it until he/ she pays the money. The teachers who are actively participating in the extortion business are Mr Daniel Boadu, the senior housemaster, Mr Okyere Ohene Eric house 3 housemaster, Mr Asamoah Enoch House 1 Housemaster, Mr Larbi house 4 housemaster, Mr Richard Martey house 2 housemaster and Mrs Doreenda Assistant Headmistress Administration.
3. On Monday 20th July 2020 my friend and I were sent to the Disciplinary Committee by these teachers claiming that we are thieves for doing a reversal of 120 cedis we sent to Mr Okyere Ohene Eric personal Momo account. To our surprise, Mrs Doreenda asked us to pay the money to end the case or she will give sanctions against us. We thought the school have rules and regulations which is documented in the school prospectus. The school prospectus clearly indicate the punishment for bringing a phone to the school which clearly states that “confiscation of the phone and two weeks internal suspension with manual work “ . A prove photograph has been attached. This punishment was never administered to us by both the Senior house or Mrs Doreenda but they insisted that we should pay the money stating that they are no longer going to take Momo from students again. Since Mr Anthony Betheh was succeeded by Mr Daniel Boadu as the Senior housemaster, everything has changed from using the school to assign rules and regulations to their own ill- felt rules and regulations. Mr Daniel Boadu is very partial and unjust when it comes to handling of cases by his closely associated students.
4. These behaviours by these teachers have made my colleagues students and I to question the integrity of NAGRAT ,GNAT and other teachers unions. This has also proven that the GES is not doing proper supervision. The free SHS coordinators are also up to their task to ensure that situation of this sort should not take place. I am pleading on these bodies to ensure that necessary actions must be taken against these corrupt teachers to deter others.
5. Mr Ohene Okyere Eric.
A Building and Construction teacher who is also part of the weakened Disciplinary committee have proven a number of times that he is not disciplined to be in the Disciplinary Committee to administer punishment to students who are far more discipline than him. He has fought with about five students since I came to the school in 2017. He was even filmed on one encounter with a student and the video is on posted on YouTube. Click on the link to testify what I am saying . https://youtu.be/5e-aBj6zCco
His last fight which I remember was at the end of a PTA meeting and he was nearly beaten with a stick by the student.
6. Academic timetable starving students: the apparent academic timetable is starving students. Students have consistently complained of hunger and also stomach ulcer. The time table which starts at 7:00 am have it breakfast at 9:00 am. From breakfast, students have to wait till 3:00 pm before they have their lunch. Exactly 5:30 pm super is ready. From breakfast to launch have an interval of almost 7 hours which makes student hungry and also less active in class. Every attempt made by students to Mr Stephen Ofori. The Assistant headmaster Academics have proved futile and he insist that we should use it.
Intervention by Free SHS Coordinator.
The claims of extortions levelled against some teachers pushed the Eastern Regional Coordinator for Free Senior High School Secreteriat Kenneth Anim to move to the school on last week to verify the claims .
In an Appreciation Letter said “we thank you for responding positively to our woes that we were going through and helping us to put a stop to the corrupt practices of some teachers in the school.
“After your team came to do some investigation on Friday 24th July 2020 the teachers have clearly indicated to threaten final year students that they will show their power during our final exams. They are trying to put some sort of fear in the students so that the next time you come to our school the students will be afraid to talk. The female teachers who have been confirmed of extorting money from students are Miss Kate Donkor the senior house mistress, Mrs Angela Kumaza and Mrs Vivian Konadu. The extorting business became so lucrative to them that it became a competition among them because the one who seizes more phones get more money because the one who seized the phone get the money into their respective personal accounts and due to this they can pass through heavy rains to come to dormitories to collect phones. They even go to the extent of searching students trunks and chop box while the students are in class. Mrs Angela Kumaza was also collecting an amount of 6 cedis from students for washing at odds times of the week. Students who refuse to pay were given severe punishment until they pay.”
They continued “Miss Kate Donkor on Saturday 25th July 2020 clearly stated that the teachers are prepare to match the students boot for a boot for telling your office and the media their dubious acts. The main reason why students in the school bring mobile phones to school is that none of the phone boot is working and also to hear current happenings and affairs. These house staffs are totally aware that the phone boots are not working.
Furthermore, there was a case of some seven students climbing the ceiling of House two dormitory and the ceiling got broken. The case was eventually sent to the Disciplinary Committee which the students were fine 203 cedis each by the Committee which is headed by Mrs Doreenda Ayokor and the house staff. The money was paid to Mr Daniel Boadu and not the school account. The ceiling for about a year now have not been fixed but they have collected the money and spent it in their own way. You can also confirm when your team come to school next time.
Recent updates from students have showed that these teachers are really planning by any means to make us fail the exams as a revenge for exposing their extorting business.
Furthermore most students in the school have complained about Mr Enoch Asamoah is not a qualify teacher because he cannot teach even the simplest graph work and any other thing. Currently, he teaches only the final year Building and Construction class which they always complain that he is not teaching them anything. Also some teachers teaching certificate needs to be checked well by your team. Mr Okyere Ohene Eric is married to Mrs Gloria Ohene and they are both in the school.
It has also been confirmed by the SRC that the school came to them that they want to paint the school so they need their help and the SRC also helped them by giving them money for the project. These teachers Mr Daniel Boadu, Mr Okyere Ohene Eric, Mr Richard Martey, Mr Samuel Larbi, Mr Enoch Asamoah, Miss Kate Donkor, and Mrs Vivian Konadu collected money from students in the of painting the school which other teachers are not even aware which the SRC have already paid for it.
Furthermore, when the Government announced that the Past Questions books will be given to every final year student to study so that they can pass really well which we undoubtedly think is the best initiative from Government to help final year students was also a mess in our school. The former Headmaster Mr Samuel Obeng told the school that we were given only 84 books from the Government. As I am writing this letter today , four to five students in the school have to share the books.
The headmaster said that the school is known to the GES that the school is a day school so they brought only those 84 books. The question is how can a day school be given foods and boarding materials from the Government and why is it that it is the same GES that is saying that the school is both a boarding and day school from the schools selection book? This issue have to investigated thoroughly and people found culprits should be severely punished.
Mrs Doreenda have also sent many of our colleagues home to write their exams by means of parents escort by reasons which is heartbreaking. One of the student mother cried and begged for mercy on her knees for her son from these teachers but the teachers showed no mercy and sent the woman and her son away. Please help our colleagues who have been sent home abd are innocent of the false accusations leveled against them by these same teachers to come back to school.
“We thank you for helping us put a stop to their dubious activities but we are only requesting for only two things which we would be very pleased if you do it. These two things are that the named teachers should be immediately suspended and thorough investigations should be carried out.
Also, the second thing is that the money collected from students by these teachers should be given back to the students and also seized phones should be given to either students or their parents.
Thank you very much in anticipation and God Almighty bless you and your Government to continue your good work. He will also bless your Government to be in power to continue your good work to Ghana.
Source: Mybrytfmonline.com
