The Chereponi District Directorate of Education has since July this year suspended the salaries of five headmasters of basic schools in the district for embezzling their schools’ capitation grant.
Mr Nelson Aborigia, Yendi Municipal Director of Education and former Chereponi District Director of Education, said the affected headmasters had also been demoted.
He announced this at a peer learning workshop organised by the Catholic Education Unit for managers of education in the Northern Region in Yendi.
The workshop, sponsored by STAR – Ghana, a multi-donor pooled agency, was attended by directors and circuit supervisors of education, representatives of civil society organisations amongst other stakeholders drawn from the metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies in the Region.
Its objective was to share best practices, models, and success stories that works in enhancing quality education.
Mr Aborigia said the District Directorate of Education took the decision following an internal audit into the operations of the basic schools in 2012, which revealed that the affected headmasters embezzled between GH₵ 400 and GH₵1,500.
He said the affected headmasters were given an ample time to refund the money but failed to do so.
He warned school authorities not to divert capitation grant and other resources meant for their schools since they would be punished when caught.
Mr Aborigia also appealed to politicians, religious leaders, traditional authorities and other influential stakeholders to stop pleading for teachers, who are being sanctioned for misconduct.
He said such stakeholders always called to plead on behalf of teachers who had been disciplined because of misconduct.
Alhaji Mohammed Seidu Issah Abbah, Head of the Inspectorate Unit of the Regional Directorate of Education, who represented the Regional Director of Education, urged stakeholders to be guided by access, quality and management in their efforts at promoting education to ensure efficiency.
Mr Samuel Zan Akologo, Executive Secretary of the Department of Human Development of the National Catholic Secretariat said the best practices identified at the workshop would be shared amongst other institutions to help improve standard of education in the country.
Credit: GNA