By: Saidu Jalloh
The Anti – Corruption Commission has in a press release dated on 3rd November, 2023 cautioned Principal of Senior Secondary Schools against extortion and illegal charges of secondary schools children and their parents.
The press release reads, “The Anti – Corruption Commission (ACC) wishes to inform the general public that, it has Friday, 3rd November, 2023, held discussion with the Principals of Senior Secondary Schools and other Schools Authorities in the Conference Hall of Integrity House, Tower Hill, Freetown, on the issue of the levying of School Charges contrary to the policy of the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education ( MBSSE ) and the Anti – Corruption Act of 2000 as amended in 2019, following the release of the Basic Education and Certificate Examination (BECE) Results and the quest for admission in secondary schools by Parents and guardians.”
ACC press release stated that their Deputy Commissioner, Augustine Foday Ngobie, drew their attention to Section 128 (3) of the Anti – Corruption (Amendment) Act of 2009, which states, ” A person who engages in corrupt activity or practice, in a programme organized or conducted by an educational institution or examination body, to confer advantage on himself or another person commits an offence.”
The Deputy Commissioner, Augustine Foday Ngobie also furthered that these acts were contrary to the established position of the commission and the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education, which has published the approved government of Sierra Leone charges for all service and products in public schools.
ACC reiterated that school authorities must not demand or accept any any form of advantage or bribe from parents or guardians, nor impose charges that are outside the approved charges of the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education. The Commission also advised all school authorities across the country that on receipt of any report of strong evidence of extortion and levy of illegal charges in schools, the commission would swiftly move in, arrest, investigate and prosecute accordingly.
The Commission also encouraged the public to make complains or reports any form of corruptions to the Commission.
