By Thomas Domah, Nimba County
The New Dawn has learned that several high schools in Ganta, Nimba County are collecting 50,000 Liberian dollars from parents as graduation fees, for successful students who passed the 2021 exams administered by the West African Examination Council or WAEC.
The situation is creating strain in relations between parents and school administrators in the district.
Most of the girls students who do not have means of getting said amount are now been involved in prostitution to raise money for graduation.
The more than 15 high schools in Ganta City are reportedly involved in collecting such huge collection.
When the New Dawn contacted the district education officer for Bain-Garr, Abel Legay, he denied the information.
DEO Legay clarified that the Government of Liberia’s stipulated fee for graduation is 5,000 Liberian dollars, nothing more.
He threatened to shut down any public school caught in extorting 50,000 Liberian dollars from students for graduation.
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According to DEO Legay, all public schools under his supervision in Ganta are doing the right thing.
The DEO said based on the information, he has deployed people, including students and parents to visit various school campuses to gather enough information about the collection of said amount before taking administrative decisions, including closing down schools that will be booked. Editing by Jonathan Browne
