Parents queue to seek admissions in public schools

Some Parents have queued up in some public schools in Accra to seek admissions for their wards due to government directives on school reopening to start a new academic year amidst COVID-19.

The Ghana News Agency (GNA) team on Thursday visited some public schools in Accra and saw parents with their wards in queues in search for admission as at 09:00 hours.

In an interview, Madam Mujidatu Sumaila, fashion designer who was at La Bawaleshie Presbyterian School, told the GNA that she arrived around 06:00 hours but her daughter was refused admission due to lack of tables and chairs.

“The school authority told me that most of the children are already struggling with chairs and tables and that if I can afford to buy a chair and table then my daughter will get admission,” she said.

Mrs Cecilia Owusu, a trader at No. ‘3’ Cluster of Schools in Madina, said her ward was in a private school but wanted to move her into the public school because of the high tuition fees.

She said her business activities had slowed down and needed a school where the tuition would be less expensive.

Madam Adwoa Frema, at James Town Cluster of schools at Mataheko also said her son graduated basic six from a private school, and wanted him to complete his junior high in a public school and had queued since 06:30 hours and waiting for her turn to secure admission for him.

Mr Emmanuel Asante, a parent of four, was at the Manhaen Basic School to secure admission for his ward said, he had been moving from one public school to the other for admission for two of his wards since Monday, “but all efforts to secure admission for them had proved futile”.

He said most of the schools had refused admissions because of inadequate classroom space to accommodate the children in the era of COVID-19.

He described the situation as worrying and urged government to intervene.

Efforts made to reach school heads proved unsuccessful.

Source: GNA