Achimota Preparatory School takeover on hold

The purported takeover of the Achimota Preparatory School (APS) in Accra by the Ghana Education Service (GES) on Monday did not come off.

This was because personnel from the GES who were supposed to be in the school to supervise the takeover had not arrived as at 10 am when the Ghanaian Times left the premises of the school.

Though no reason was given for the ‘no show’, the Ghanaian Times gathered that, officials of both sides – GES and the school — had met to diffuse the seeming tension mounting at the school.

The GES had on December 27, 2019, written to the head teacher of the school about its decision to take over the school, effective Monday, January 27, 2020.

The letter signed by the Greater Accra Regional Director of Education, Ms Monica Ankrah, stated that, “ Furtherance of our meeting held on Monday December 23, 2019, at the Greater Accra Regional Education office, management of the GES regional office writes to inform you of the takeover of the premises of A.P.S on January 27, 2020.

“Parents are to be informed that personnel from the Ghana Education Service (GES) shall be posted to the school. There is therefore no need for any pupil/ student to be withdrawn from the school,” it added.

Speaking in an interview with the Ghanaian Times, the spokesperson of the Parent Teacher Association (PTA), Julius Adusi Poku, said the decision by government to take over the Achimota Preparatory School was unfortunate and called for calm.

He assured parents that, teaching and learning were ongoing, adding that the school authorities would inform parents of any new development.

Mr Poku said the PTA, which had earlier opposed the purported takeover, held a crunch meeting on Sunday to deliberate further on the matter and await GES’ reaction.

Last Friday, the PTA had vowed to resist any attempt by the GES to take over the school, claiming it was a private institution, and therefore, the GES has no right to takeover a private entity.