Parliament petitioned to investigate takeover of Achimota Preparatory School

The authorities of the Achimota Preparatory School (APS) in Accra on Thursday petitioned Parliament to investigate what they described as unlawful take-over of the school by the Ghana Education Service (GES) and the Ministry of Education.

The petition was tabled before the House on behalf of the board, management and Parent-Teacher Association of the school by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament for Okaikwei North, Ms Theresa Lardi Awuni.

The Speaker subsequently referred the petition to the Education Committee of the House for deliberation and report.

Ahead of the current petition, the school’s PTA had previously petitioned the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) to investigate the matter.
In the petition, the PTA accused the Greater Accra Regional Director of Education, Ms Monica Ankrah, of trying to “bully the school.”

In January, 2020, amid the contentions, the PTA of Achimota Preparatory School said it would resist attempts by the GES to take over the school.

History of school
The preparatory school was established by a group of expatriates during the colonial era for their children, staff of Achimota School, and the University College of the Gold Coast.

When the expatriates left the management of the school, the locals formed a management committee to run the school as a private institution.

However, following protracted court battles, the GES took over the institution, with officials of the GES in the Okaikwei North District locking up the offices and classrooms of the school on April 30, 2021.

The GES explained that the land and building on which the school was built formed part of Achimota School Land per the Achimota School Ordinance.

The Service also explained that “sometime in the 1960s, Achimota School granted a lease to APS to allow it to operate from the premises, which expired in 1970.”

Earlier moves
In May 2021, the Ministry of Education announced that the Achimota preparatory school would be managed under the general management of the GES, while the status of the staff of the school would be decided later.

The explanation came after deliberations between the school authorities and the service following the long-standing dispute over the ownership of the land on which the Achimota Preparatory School is situated.

This was contained in a statement that was issued and signed by the Chief Director of the Ministry of Education, Mr Benjamin Kofi Gyasi.

“At the invitation of the Minister for Education, the two parties met and after deliberations resolved as follows that the Achimota Preparatory School is going to be part of Achimota Basic School under the general management of the GES.

“That the status of the staff and the specific role of the current managers of the school is to be discussed at a subsequent meeting to be facilitated by the Chief Director of the Ministry of Education,” the statement noted.

“The Minister assures parents/guardians, students, and the public that everything possible would be done to ensure that the quality of education which Achimota Preparatory School is noted for, is not compromised under the new management and arrangement,” the statement said.

Source:Graphiconline