The Sunyani Municipal Education Director of Education in the Brong Ahafo Region, Ms Mary Gyimah, has taken over the printing of examination papers for all basic schools under her jurisdiction.
Information gathered by The Finder reveals that the director has contracted the Centre for Performance Monitoring and Evaluation (CPME), based in Accra, to supply examination questions to all schools in the Sunyani Municipality.
The director contracted the company to supply the questions last term but the company was unable to deliver at the end of the second term, compelling teachers to write questions on the chalkboard.
Because of this situation, most heads of schools in the municipality decided to opt out and set their examination questions as they used to do.
However, the Municipal Director, Ms Mary Gyimah, met the heads of the schools recently and warned those who want to opt out to either resign as heads of the schools or go and establish their own schools.
Previously, the schools set and printed their own examination questions. What The Finder gathered is that the schools are paying more for the exam questions compared to what they were spending when they set their own examination questions.
Some heads have to contract loans in order to pay the examination fees to the Municipal Education Directorate because some of the pupils cannot afford and they have to pay based on the population of the school.
Pupils in the Junior High School (JHS) are paying GH₵3.50 while pupils in the primary are also paying GH₵2.50.
Most of the heads are tight-lipped for fear of losing their position. A head teacher who spoke to The Finder on condition of anonymity said the new policy is putting pressure on them.
“My school used to spend between GH₵500 and GH₵600 on exam but now we have to pay GH₵1,200 for the exam.
“Last term, CPME was supposed to have supplied us with the questions but they failed in bringing them, compelling us to write our questions on the chalkboard. Most of the pupils cannot pay so I have to get money to pay for them because we have to pay based on the population of the school,” he revealed.
The heads are, therefore, calling on the Deputy Minister of Education in charge of Basic Education, Alex Kyeremeh, to intervene because the situation is not going to help in education delivery in the Sunyani Municipality. Efforts to get the director to speak on the issue have not been successful as she declined an interview.
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