Accra, Jan. 10, GNA – The Parent-Teacher Association of Swedru School of Business (SWESBUS) on Wednesday denied media reports of a demonstration by the students of the school over the mode their terminal examination was conducted last December.
The students were reported to have demonstrated against the writing of the examination questions on the black board instead of printing them for the examinations.
A statement signed by Nana Kwaw Ponsill, PTA Chairman SWESBUS said: “The attention of the authorities of the Swedru School of Business (SWESBUS) has been attracted to a news item carried by the Ghana News Agency (GNA) and carried by the national daily “The Ghanaian Times” on its page 21 of Wednesday, December 27, 2006 issue headlined “Swedru School of Business Parents are angry”.
It said: 93The said publication contained inaccuracies and untruths that need to be reacted to, to redeem the image of the school and its hard won good reputation over the years.
“It is true that there was a misunderstanding between the school authorities and the final year students over the students’ demand for their last term’s class exam papers to be printed because parents have paid 18,000 cedis for their wards.
“Aware that the NAGRAT strike action had adversely affected the final year SSS students, the school authorities decided with the leadership of the student body to conduct a class test instead and have the terminal examination, the results of which have to be added to their cumulative record add up to the grades they make at their final examination.
“It said a day for the class test to begin, a few of the students agitated that the 18,000 cedis should be refunded to them if the questions were to be written on black boards otherwise they would not take it.
“The authorities assured the students that the amount would be credited to their accounts as is normally done. The few agitators would not accept the position of the school authorities.” The statement said The District Director of Education made two interventions and offered to give out his ristograph to print the questions.
“His second visit was two days to vacation. It was at this point the students pleaded in a letter of apology with the authorities to postpone the test to early next term.
The statement said to set the records straight: 93It is not true there was a demonstration by the students.
“The Headmaster never refused the District Director of Education’s directive that the questions should be printed. “Samuel Kyei that your reporter quoted as spokesperson for worried parents, calling on the GES to investigate the issue, is a ghost to us because he does not exist in our records as a parent of any final year student.”
The statement said: 93Since the incident, no parent has complained to the SWESBUS authorities about any exam problems at the school.” The GNA stands by its original report because there was a demonstration during which the students displayed placard some of which read:”We Would Not Do It” and 93Refund Our Money”. Mr Samuel Kyei is a parent and has two children, a boy and a girl, in the School.
