By Francis H. Murray
The Vice Principal and a teacher at the Freetown Secondary School for Girls (FSSG) have both been suspended for charging pupils for extra classes. The decision to suspend the two was reached last month in a joint meeting by the school administration, the Teaching Service Commission (TSC) and officials of the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education (MBSSE).
Aminata Sesay, Vice Principal and Alex Tarawallie, a senior teacher of the school, both of whom are part of the Junior Secondary School staff, were found wanting for conducting classes for pupils of the school and charging each pupil Le 3000 per day.
The Principal of the school, Florence Kuyembeh, told Politico that the teachers used three days that were scheduled for pupils to do arbitration for their sports meet to conduct the classes.
Ministry officials caught them during an unannounced visit to the school on December 17th last year.
Kuyembeh said she was vindicated by her decision to convince teachers to sign a memorandum that they would not conduct classes or exploit the pupils in anyway.
“One of the things that exonerated me was the fact that after our first assessment test, I had given out a memorandum warning teachers. I did not just ask them to sign the memorandum, I called a staff meeting and informed the senior teachers that that was what I intended doing and they supported me. And so we called a general staff meeting where all of them were informed,” she told Politico in an interview on Tuesday, confirming the suspension of the duo.
As part of their punishment, the beleaguered teachers will not receive salary for the month of January. They have also been asked to refund the moneys collected for the three days to the pupils.
Kuyembeh said she was shocked by the fact that the two teachers were the ones running the scheme.
She said: “Apart from the gravity of the crime, the people involved is what is shocking - the Vice Principal and a senior teacher.”
Schools have reopened since Monday and Kuyembeh said the administration would not waive away the punishment of the teachers involved.
“The Vice principal was here yesterday but she’s not here today, being that she has being suspended. The senior teacher Mr. Tarawalie did not turn up yesterday and is not here also because both of them were given their own letters, so they know that they are not supposed to come to school,” Kuyembeh said.
“I’ll take it as my point of duty not to even allow them to sign the time book, because if you sign the time book it means you have come to school and you’ve come to teach. But I’m sure they will not show up, they’ll comply,” she added.
Kuyembeh said prior to the scandal, she had warned teachers against collecting money for report cards or holding activities just to demand money from pupils.
This latest scandal has just strengthened the school’s resolve to fight corruption.
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