More than 100 students have been withdrawn or will be repeated by school authorities at Prempeh College in Kumasi for non-performance following implementation of government’s Free Senior High School (SHS) programme.

The affected students have been served with letters notifying them that they will either be dismissed or repeated by the Senior High School.

The school, however, is in a fix as to whether to charge fees for about 50 of the students who are supposed to be repeated in the first year.

This is because first-year students are currently benefiting from the Free SHS program with school authorities warned not to charge fees from any first-year student.

The letter from the school to parents and guardians reads:

“We are sorry to inform you that your ward has been repeated/withdrawn. Contact the Assistant Headmaster, Academic for further details”.

According to Joy News reporter, Ohemeng Tawiah, although the school authorities have been tight-lipped about the issue, the fate of their colleagues is a topic of discussion amongst the students on campus.  

The affected students comprise of 59 (Form 1 students) and 129 (Form 2 students).  

Some teachers told the reporter, some affected students failed in five of the seven courses they are pursuing while others failed all seven courses for consecutive two terms.

The headmaster is reported to be meeting the Regional Educational Director for advice on the way forward. Also, the School's Board is said to be meeting to discuss the fate of the students latest by Wednesday.

It is, however, not clear if the School Board has the mandate to withdraw the students because it does not the power to carry out the action as the Ghana Education Service (GES) rules do not permit the school to so.

This is a banana skin for the school authorities because except for first-year students who were placed by the Computerised Placement and School Selection System (CPSSS), being catered for by the government, other students will have to pay the fees.

Considering that some Form 1 students are affected, the school’s board is likely to petition the GES to enable it to charge some of the affected students to be repeated at a lower class. 

Two headmasters have been sacked after charging what the GES said was unapproved fees following government rolling out the Free SHS policy.

The Headmaster of  Pentecost SHS in the Eastern region Wisdom Blazu and Assistant headmaster of Daffour Senior High School, Rev S.P Eleworkor were relieved of their posts by the Service.