The tracksuit was to protect students from mosquito bites – Interdicted GHANASS head

Interdicted Headmistress of Ghana Senior High School (GHANASS) in Koforidua, Patience Naki Mensah has provided clarification on the sale of GH¢200 track suits to first-year students.

She explains that the tracksuit serves the dual purpose of protecting students from mosquito bites during evening preps and maintaining the school’s uniformity, aligning with the National Prospectus.

Contrary to allegations of unauthorized items, Miss Mensah states that the school, with its unique colors of yellow shirts and leaf green trousers/skirts, deviates from the standard white and check uniforms.

Therefore, a seamstress was commissioned to create samples for interested parents, allowing them the option to acquire the new ceremonial dress and track suit at GH¢200 and GH¢250 per set, respectively.

“As directed by the National Prospectus, schools are to make for their unique specification. GHANASS do not wear the white and check uniforms. Provisions therefore were made by the school with its unique colours of yellow shirt and Leaf green trousers or skirt in place of the white -white and the check uniforms

She continued that “A seamstress was asked to make samples available with the school style so that parents who were interested could acquire it while those wanted to sew themselves were given the style to that effect”

Mensah emphasized that parents were not compelled to purchase these items immediately, offering flexibility in acquiring the unique school attire.

“Out of excitement of being enrolled, some of the new students were introduced to the sample of the ceremonial dress which was selling at Two hundred cedis (GH¢200) for one set and the track suit which was also going for Two hundred and fifty cedis (GH¢250.00) per one set. However, parents were given the option of buying them or at a later period”.

The explanation comes in response to her interdiction by the Ghana Education Service, pending further investigation into the alleged unauthorized sales.

The Eastern Regional Director of Education, Mrs. Ivy Asantewaa Owusu, outlined the unauthorized items, including ceremonial cloth and tracksuits, in a letter to Mrs. Mensah on December 7, 2023.