Monrovia – The coronavirus outbreak prompted the closure of schools by the Ministry of Education. However, many schools are accused of requesting parents to pay extra fees to procure instructional materials to enhance distance learning.
One of such schools, accused by parents for requesting extra fees, is the Maretha International School in Monrovia.
“The school is charging parents L$700.00 for third graders to get testing materials for their kids, while kindergarten is being charged L$200.00 for teaching material,” said Yassah Edna Salley Baysah, a parent.
“Therefore, I paid L$900.00 to get test for my two boys when in fact, it is the school’s responsibility to give out materials to students while they are at home. Because we are paying so much money for tuition.”
Mrs. Baysah has paid over L$30,000 for her son in daycare, a decision she made against her other son, who attends the Effort Baptist School in Paynesville.
She did not pay for her son attending the Effort Baptist, but his test and notes were however delivered to her.
Maretha International School is among few private schools, where parents are asked to pay for resource materials for pupils’ instructional materials. Other schools have asked students to go on campuses to collect their testing materials at no cost.
On Thursday at the campus of the Maretha International school in Monrovia, parents were seen going in and out of the principal’s office to pay for their children’s tests, while a mother sat quietly on a bench to wait for her turn.
She said aloud, “This other task on parents is not easy ooo, suppose you have five children attending this school, then that parent will really send plenty money”.
When an FPA reporter was finally given a chance to enter the Principal’s office, there were three women and two men seated in the office. The Registrar, G. Eddie Willie, sitting behind a wooden and glass counter said: “Those parents, who are being charged for their children’s tests, are the parents who have not completed their fifty percent tuition for their children. But once a parent has completed their fifty percent payment, we do not charge them. The reason we charge for the materials is because we pay for stationary, ink and other materials to print the tests and resource materials.”
The Ministry of Education recently frowned on the action of parents putting their kids at risk by sending them on campuses to collect materials.
The Coli Academy, located in Gardnerville, recently asked students to collect their tests questions despite the mandate from the MOE.
“We only went on campus to collect our tests along with our fifth period notes, in four subjects, math, general Science, English and Literature,” said an 8th grade student via mobile phone, who did not want to be named for reprisal of reporting the school.
Efforts to get the school administration proved futile as the security guard could not locate the administrator’s number.
Deputy Education Minister for Administration, Latim Da Thong, said on his radio program that no school – be it private or public schools in the Republic of Liberia, should allow students to go on campuses to pick up any instructional materials.
Addressing the issues about paying for the instructional material, Minister Da Thong said private schools should work with their Parents Teachers Associations (PTAs) to determine how to conduct lessons for their students and share the decision with the MOE.
“Schools should not impose upon parents and parents should not expect anything from schools, this is why PTA is important,” he said.
“Regarding fees, during the arrangement between the school and their PTA, it is left with them to agree as to if parents should pay some fees to teach their children. If a parent is willing to pay something to the school because they are teaching their children, they should make that arrangement.”
He further said public school students should listen to the “Teach by Radio” program conducted by the Ministry. He said the program will continue until the end of the health crisis.
Back at the Maretha International School, Mrs. Baysah hopes the Ministry monitors schools during the COVID-19 crisis and set a standard that all must follow, She’s worried that schools might be doing “their own thing” putting the parents at the disadvantage.
She has no problem paying her kids high school fees but is concerned about the extra charges for the students to get their notes or test materials.
”So even if Maratha is charging L$30,000 or L$40,000 as school fees, I am responsible to pay it but if they are going to be charging extra fees to get test and notes, it is unfair to us and this is my disagreement in the whole matter,” she said.