11 Head teachers at Free SHS were suspended

Eleven senior high school (SHS) heads in the Greater Accra, Ashanti, and Bono regions have been placed under administrative suspension by the Ghana Education Service (GES), demonstrating the organization's decisiveness.

This comes after some goods were sold to first-year students without authorization during the admissions process.

The announcement of the start of thorough investigations into the actions of these headteachers was contained in separate statements from the Regional GES offices.


The affected headteachers include Mrs. Selina Anane Afoakwa, Headmistress of Kumasi Girls SHS, Mr. Nataniel Asamoah, Headmaster of Asanteman SHS, Mr. Andrews Boateng, Headmaster of Kumasi Senior High Technical School, Mr. Kwadwo Obeng-Appiah, Headmaster of Manso-Edubia SHS, Mr. Daniel Boamah Duku, Headmaster of the Agric Nzema Community SHS, Ms. Gladys Sarfowah, Headmistress of Nkawie Senior High Technical School, Mr. Ampong Ahmed Omar, Headmaster of Collins SHS, Mr. Afi Yaw Stephen, Headmaster of Berekum Senior High School, and Mr. Joseph Jilinjeh Abudu, Headmaster of Odomaseman Senior High School. Additionally, the headteachers of O’Reilly Senior High School and Ghana Senior High School, Nadia Lartechoe Annan and Patience Naki Mensah, respectively, are also part of the interdicted group.

Heads of Senior High Schools had previously received a warning from the Ghana Education Service (GES) not to impose unapproved fees.

It stated that such behavior is prohibited and will not be accepted.

This development is consistent with a pattern of comparable interdictions against the unauthorized sale of goods to students in the Eastern Region and Greater Accra. For selling unapproved items, such as "Borla fees," "motivation fees," "lunch bag" charges, and GHC45 for hymn books, SRC fees, brown khaki, and other items, respectively, Mr. Afi Yaw Stephen and Mr. Joseph Jilinjeh Abudu were told to move aside.

In specific cases, Nadia Lartechoe Annan, the headmistress of O’Reilly SHS, has been directed to step aside pending an investigation into the unauthorized collection of money during the admission process. The GES letter, dated December 6th, 2023, cited this action as a violation of the school’s code of conduct. The letter instructed her to hand over all school property to the Municipal Director of Education, Ledzokuku, who will oversee the school during her absence.


Similarly, Patience Naki Mensah, the headmistress of Ghana Senior High School, has been asked to step aside from December 7th, 2023. This follows allegations of the unauthorized sale of ceremonial cloth, tracksuits, and other items to Form One students reporting to the school. The GES letter, dated December 7th, 2023, emphasized the need for further investigation into the alleged sale of items and directed her to step aside during this period.

In Accra, journalists were informed by Cassandra Twum Ampofo, Head of Public Relations at the Ghana Education Service, that school administrators who disobey these rules will be subject to harsh disciplinary measures.

"We are alerting the leaders who are deviating from our previous discussions. We have discovered that certain individuals were including A4 sheets, mosquito coils, and other items in the prospectus. We had to warn them that wasn't what we had agreed upon because, to us, that was extremely concerning," she continued.