A 14-year-old Class Five pupil whose educational pursuit almost came to an end after being dismissed from her school at Agormanya in the Eastern Region is now back in school. Following the unrelenting probing by the Daily Graphic and the refusal of the Ghana Education Service (GES) to condone the action, the Catholic school authorities have issued a fresh letter re-admitting the innocent girl, who was dismissed on account of a "strange illness." Earlier, the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) of the Our Lady of Fatima Jubilee School, in a unilateral decision, had dismissed the pupil based on what it said was a strange illness that had afflicted her. The letter, issued by the executive board of the PTA and the school management team, said the reason for the dismissal ''is her strange sickness which will not allow her to stay in the school with the other children". "We, therefore, deem it fit and advisable to dismiss her so she could go and look for another school," the letter said. It was, however, not accompanied by any medical report on the pupil's supposed strange sickness. The letter, signed by the PTA Chairperson, Ms Janet Wahiermeh, the Vice Chairman and the Secretary, was copied to the Regional Manager of Catholic Schools, the Superior General of Handmaid of the Divine Redeemer (HDR), the District Director of Education, Queens (Odumase and Kodjonya) and the Head of Our Lady of Fatima School. When contacted, the Director in charge of Private Schools at the GES, Mr Bertinus Bagbin, who expressed outrage over the manner in which the pupil was dismissed, confirmed that the unit had received a letter from the guardian of the girl complaining of the dismissal. He said the letter from the guardian had alleged that the pupil was dismissed as a result of witchcraft, adding that the unit had, therefore, written to the district director of education to investigate the matter and present a report on the true situation. "We want to hear the other side of the story," he said, adding that the GES frowned on such an act. However, the headmistress of the school, Sister Genevieve Ofori-Atta, has denied ever saying that the pupil was a witch. "How could I have done such a thing?" she questioned. According to her, the decision to dismiss the pupil was by the PTA, adding that the PTA was a major stakeholder of the school. "When I received the dismissal letter, I consulted the Regional Manager of Catholic Schools, and we both agreed that the girl had the right to education”, she explained, saying that based on that, "I decided to write to recall the girl". A copy of the letter recalling the pupil said, "The headmistress, in consultation with the PTA executives, the Queen of Manya Krobo and the Regional Manager of Catholic Schools, has decided to withdraw the initial letter concerning the withdrawal of (pupil's name) from the school". "This has become necessary upon careful consideration and more so as a result of fruitful deliberations with the district directorate of education, who have decided to take up the matter," the letter said. Asked which strange disease compelled the PTA to dismiss the pupil, Ms Wahiermeh said she was not a medical person to tell it. She said a German doctor, who usually took care of the pupils at the St Martin's Hospital could tell it, adding that the decision of the PTA was in the best interest of the parents of the other children who were so much concerned. The Medical Officer in charge of the St Martin's Hospital, Dr Charles Nyarko, told the Daily Graphic that he was not aware of the pupil's so-called strange ailment that warranted her dismissal. He said as a head, he had not seen any report on the pupil's diagnosis of the disease. Meanwhile, the mother of the pupil (name withheld) has expressed joy at her child being back in school. She said the child became so traumatized and disturbed when she received the dismissal letter, adding that "my daughter is not sick". In an interview at the school, the pupil said she was healthy and happy to be back in school. Source: Daily Graphic