The National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) is worried about the "rampant and arbitrary" interdiction of senior high school (SHS) heads by the Ghana Education Service (GES).

In a press statement released on October 2, NAGRAT President Angel Carbonu cited the cases of Miss Ernestina Kankam, Headmistress of Ahantaman Girls Senior High School in Sekondi, and Madam Mariam Esi Jackson, Headmistress of St. Roses Senior High School in Akwatia, as examples of unjust actions.

NAGRAT accused the GES of publicising their interdiction in a manner that embarrassed the officeholders.

Mr Carbonu criticised the GES for announcing the interdiction before conducting thorough fact-finding investigations and noted that, even when the outcome of such investigations favoured the interdicted officials, the GES was slow to reverse its decisions due to "pride and ego."

"At the time Miss Ernestina Kankam was served with an interdiction letter signed by the Regional Director, she had not even been interviewed or interrogated by any official of the GES," Mr Carbonu remarked, questioning the basis for the interdiction.

He added that certain GES officers had taken advantage of their presence in the schools under the guise of a familiarization tour to interview students without consulting the headmistresses.

In the case of St. Roses Senior High School, NAGRAT explained that the Parent Association (PA) had organized among themselves to mobilize funds and arrange transportation for students, a longstanding tradition.

The PA Chairman, Board Chairman, and the Catholic Bishop of Koforidua had provided detailed explanations to the GES Director General.

NAGRAT maintained that neither Miss Kankam nor Madam Jackson had personally collected any funds from parents or students.

"If the Ministry and the GES deem the activities and operations of the PA in the schools inimical to their policies, they could have simply banned them outright," Mr Carbonu said.

He suggested that some GES officers were pushing these interdictions to improve their standing with GES management.

NAGRAT is calling on the GES to immediately reverse the interdictions and restore the affected headmistresses to their original positions.

The association also urged the GES to stop publicly shaming school heads and to resolve such matters privately, stating that the current approach demoralizes educators.

“We hope our call will be adhered to, to ensure industrial peace and harmony,” Carbonu concluded.