Twenty-four students of the Aggrey Memorial A.M.E. Zion Senior High School in Cape Coast cannot write the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) which begins next week (March 30) because they could not pay their registration and all outstanding fees.
The students failed to pay all outstanding fees, the first term and registration fees in full as required by the school authorities before they would be registered.
The parents of the affected students described the school authorities’ decision not to register their children as unfair and unfortunate since they paid the registration fees in full but were unable to pay the first term fees.
When the Daily Graphic visited the school yesterday, the parents had thronged the school to discuss the way forward with the administration.
A parent who looked disappointed told the Daily Graphic that “the school authority has not been fair to us at all. At least they could have registered the children with the WASSCE first before dealing with us.”
School authorities
According to the Headmaster of the school, Reverend Franklin Boadu, the school could not be blamed for the predicament of the students.
He said in a letter dated August 4, 2014, parents were informed about the need to pay all outstanding fees; the first term and registration fees in full before their children would be registered.
He said copies of the said letter were distributed to all the students to give to their parents. The letter, a copy of which was made available to the Daily Graphic, said, “We are happy to inform you of the registration fee for your ward in WASSCE 2015. Parents are expected to pay all outstanding fees, the first term fees and registration fees in full before your ward will be registered.”
The registration fee, the letter said, “must be paid in banker’s draft separately from the school fees. All fees must be paid in full by the 30th of September, 2014,” the letter stressed.
PTA meeting
He said soon after that, two parent-teacher association meetings were held, where the names of the affected students were mentioned, but the parents did nothing about the situation.
Reverend Boadu said the WAEC deadline was October 25, 2014, followed by a grace period, where students who could not pay paid penalties.
“Now nothing can be done, except for them to prepare and register for the November-December Examination,” he said.
The examination will end on May 15.
Source: Graphic
