Effisco teachers’ strike threat is a hoax –Assistant Headmaster
From Sebastian R. Freiku, Effiduase-Ash
The alleged threat by teachers of the Effiduase Senior High /Commercial School to go on a sit down strike has turned out to be a hoax.
The assistant headmaster in charge of administration, Mr. Wilberforce Charles Gyau, expressed surprise when The Chronicle visited the school to find out about the strike action.
He said it is the imagination of a few disgruntled elements who are peeved about the wind of change blowing across the length and breadth of the school.
“No teacher is aggrieved about anything, let alone threaten a strike action in demand of redress,” he told the paper.
“The headmaster is just like a father to everybody (teaching and non teaching staff), as well as students,” some of the teachers attested.
Mr. Gyau explained further that the presence of Mr. Kwadwo Opuni-Boachie as headmaster of the school, which has been cited as the reason for the intended sit down strike is neither here nor there.
According to him, the continued stay in office of Mr. Opuni-Boachie is at the instance of the Ghana Education Service (GES) Council and that the presence of the headmaster is in the interest of the school.
“He (Opuni-Boachie) has brought changes and major transformation in the school and we are happy to exploit his rich experience as the longest serving headmaster in the region, for the growth of the school,” Mr. Gyau said.
In January, this year, the GES Council gave approval for the extension of services of Mr. Opuni-Boachie, and he was expected to continue with his responsibilities as headmaster till August ending, as communicated in a letter of January 10, 2012, by Mrs. Benedicta Naana Biney, acting Director-General of the GES.
This gesture has been appreciated by the management committee of the school since February this year in writing to the GES Council and the acting Director-General of the GES.
The Chronicle gathered that there are indications that Mr. Opuni-Boachie’s services would further be extended to enable him complete a transformational programme he initiated to herald the observation of the first ever speech and Prize Giving Day of the 70-year-old school.
He has already launched the 70th anniversary programme of the school in November last year and feverishly preparing the school for the great event in February 2013, something the GES thinks would need his presence to implement.
Deep throat sources at the GES Regional Directorate confided in The Chronicle that the embattled headmaster might stay on till August 2013, before he hands over the administration of the school to a competent person appointed by the GES.
Further investigations by The Chronicle pointed to an aggrieved teacher as the source of instigation of two of his friends, among the over 98 teachers, to cause unrest and level unfounded allegations against the headmaster.
The said teacher is said to be lobbying to become head of department, although he is least qualified for the position. He saw his demotion as an affront and resorted to unruly behaviour, including unwarranted attacks on the Headmaster.
Even though this teacher had at some point in time rendered apologies to the school authority and officials of the GES at District and Regional levels for misconduct and indiscipline on his part, he is also on record to have received queries over a period of two years, beginning from when Mr. Opuni-Boachie resumed headship of the School.
A report by the Regional Directorate of the GES and signed by the Regional Director on July 10, 2011, to the Director-General of GES had justified the transfer of the said teacher on whose salary an embargo was placed for unruly behavior and vacating his post. He was also cited for acts of indiscipline.
The Chronicle also sighted more than four queries on his dossier which accompanied the report to the GES Director-General.
Meanwhile, Mr. Opuni-Boachie, who professes a cordial relationship with his staff, has pledged to stay focused with his transformational agenda and make sure the school attains a model status so long as he has the mandate to head the school.
He wished he could with the assistance of the PTA complete two more projects, a befitting staff common room and to complete an abandoned 6-Unit Teachers flats, and also ensure smooth road network for the school before his service ends.
Mr. Opuni-Boachie, currently the Vice President of the Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS), has been in the service since 1979 and has been at the Wesley College for 17 years, Tweneboah Koduah SHS for five years, Osei Kyeretwie SHS (OKESS) for eight years and finally Effisco since October 2009, making him the longest serving headmaster in the Ashanti Region.
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