September 6, 2021
By: Dadson A. Musa
Dr. David Moinina Sengeh’s attempt to lessen the financial burden on parents whose kids has sailed through both public exams; NPSE and BECE is being undermined by greedy school administrators.
The Minister innovation has saved parents the burden of buying scratch cards.
Now our school administrators have found a way of milking parents these hard covid-19 economic times. The first trap by them is to set unreasonably high entering marks even when they know especially for NPSE that the pass rate was not too high. There were not too many candidates with the 300 pass mark but these administrators have deliberately set the bar high. As far as it stands it is never about standards but financial gains.
At the end of the day they want to get parents to “bribe” their way into these schools. The same thing is set to happen for BECE. They are dismissive of the fact that things are hard for most parents. Some of them when contacted refused to talk to press men but would rather send subordinates who will give unconvincing reasons for these unnecessary school charges.
Granted, the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education has given them the go-ahead to sell uniforms, ties, badges and other necessary school materials at stipulated prices. That is quite okay but what about those unauthorized charges which they are to get away with. There are always exceptions as some school heads are playing by the rules but greedy ones are spoiling things for the minister.
While the unacceptable situation continues to bear corrupt fruit, some school authorities are requesting from parent to pay three million Leones (Le. 3,000,000.00) if your kid (s) does not acquire the passing grade or ‘high’ grades.
This is in addition to the mandatory school materials that parents should buy. So how can the government achieve its flagship program of ‘Free’ quality education? One thing is clear, they are turning a blind eye either because subsidies are sent late or ministry officials are getting kickbacks from these unnecessary high admission charges.
Some parents confessed to the medium that they do not have alternative as long as their children are admitted into these grade’ A’ government and government-assisted schools’ across the country. Dr. Moinina Sengeh has done his best this year to make sure pupils access their results for next to nothing. But unpatriotic citizens are still making life difficult for parents. So we call on the Anti-Corruption Commission to swoop on these greedy school heads to investigate ‘money-for-admission ‘in these schools across the country. The target for us should be first-choice grade A schools across the country.
Billions have been collected from parents for admission this past month and some of them for kids who did not make the grades but as long as money change hands, admission can be granted. Saboteurs of the free quality education should be stopped in their quest to derail the good plans of President Bio.