By Mathew Kanu in Makeni
A random sampling of views amongst parents ahead of the reopening of schools in Makeni indicates that most parents are particularly concerned about paying “exorbitant fees” for their children.
The Politico vox-pop revealed that there were other concerns like the “high cost of living, transportation fares and the high cost of learning materials for children”
But the most common concern was fees for pupils in the public examination classes.
Pupils writing their Basic Education Certificate Examinations (BECE) in the Junior Secondary School pay Le75,000 while those writing their school-leaving WASCE exams pay Le 90,000.
Deputy Director of Education, Haja Ramatu Kanu said that those were the approved fees for a whole academic year.
“For me it is cheap when compared to fees in the Western Area. But if parents suspect any additional increase let them report to the ministry” she told Politoco adding: “We will not disclose their identity but will penalise any principal found increasing the fees agreed by all at a general meeting held before the reopening of schools”.
But some parents preparing their children just entering junior secondary school as well as those preparing their kids writing the WASSCE exams say the fees are still “too high to afford”.
One of them, Peter Johnny, said simply that “the fees are very expensive”. He said
“some of us cannot afford the Le 90,000 or Le 75,000”, adding “Government should know that the majority of us are unemployed while some of us are pensioners.”
Peter said that they had to buy other school materials including text books as well as the daily provision of food.
But another parent, Hawa Esther Conteh said the amount could be paid by instalment or per term for parents who could not afford for the whole year at a go.
Principal of Amadiyya Secondary School in Makeni, Naziru Coker said that for some parents the fees were expensive but generally comparatively they were not.
“For every change we make we sit together with the Ministry of Education in the district to determine the amount parents should pay to the as school fees” he said, adding and insisting that “the fees are really reasonable”.
© Politico 26/09/13
