The Chairman of the Ghana Education Service (GES) Council, Michael Nsowah, has said Ghana Education Service [GES], did not approve a directive to students of Manya Krobo SHS to pay an amount of 75 Ghana cedis each for the purchase of gloves and nose masks.
A letter which was signed by the headmaster of the school, said the move aimed at preventing meningitis and other public health related issues had been endorsed by the GES.
[contextly_sidebar id=”JGuj4UVIc7wdXIfVG1PPn6qNoDZ5Rr4A”]Most Senior High Schools in the country have been on high alert following the deaths of students in various schools across the country from meningitis.
Speaking to Citi News, Michael Nsowah stated that, despite being aware of the directive from the school, the GES had ordered that it should not be implemented.
“I checked with the deputy Director General at GES and he told me yes, that they are aware of that letter, but that letter was signed more than a year ago by the former Director General at a time when we didn’t have any indication of the outbreak of meningitis. Therefore he warned them not to implement that letter,” he said.
Michael Nsowah said this directive comes as a surprise to the council as the school appeared to have disregarded explicit orders not to implement it.
“They are aware, they came to discuss it and he told them they cannot implement that letter because that letter has expired. So it has come as a surprise to them when I called to find out this development. I do not know why the headmaster will do that, maybe they would have to call the headmaster to explain why he wants to charge the students, when we don’t have any directive or any indication from the Ministry of Health that because of the seriousness of the meningitis, students should wear masks,” he said.
Meningitis scare in Ghana
The deaths of at least six students from isolated cases of meningitis has raised some concerns in many of the country’s public schools over a possible outbreak of the disease.
A student of Damongo Senior High School in the West Gonja District of the Northern Region, three weeks ago died of non-communicable meningitis. Another student from Koforidua Technical School, also died from the disease.
Three deaths were recorded in three Senior High Schools in the Upper East Region, and another at Asamankese SHS in the Eastern Region.
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By: Farida Yusif/Citifmonline.com/Ghana