Private schools increase fees, would they increase teachers salaries?

Parents who have enrolled their wards in Private Basic Schools are to embrace themselves for the 2023 academic year, as nearly all private schools have increased their fees for next year.

According to a letter issued by the Ghana National Council for Private Schools (GNACOPS) the least increment in fees will be GHS50.00 per learner. The increase has been necessitated by many economic factors. However, the council has disclosed that the projected increase is to raise resource to help deal with extra cost associated with the work of the Child Education Support Policy task forces, who are expected to invade school premises in the 2023 academic year.  It further disclosed that, the schools need to obtain compulsory fire insurance.

Private schools increase fees, would they increase teachers salaries?

Whiles some private schools will be vacating today, others have already taken their Christmas breaks and school fees have been increased between GHS50.00 and GHS500.000 depending on the grade of the school.

Parents whose wards attend private schools will therefore pay more for education come 2023. While the increase in fees may be legitimate, it is also prudent, that private school owners increase the peanuts they pay their hardworking teachers to ensure these teachers are able to maintain decent lives and motivated to deliver on the job.

Many private schools are taking advantage of their teachers by paying them very low salaries, which hardly get increased even if the school population goes up and or if the school reviews school fees upward.

In the absence of proactive steps to pay teachers better, some of them look for alternatives schools that are ready to offer a little more in terms of salaries and leave their previous employers. This has compelled school owners to devise illegal means of keeping teachers by either holding on with their salaries each time the school vacates. They fail to pay teachers and keep their salaries, which they pay only when school reopens and the teacher reports. Some private schools also deduct SSNIT from salaries but fail to pay to SSNIT which further endangers the future of their teachers.

In some instances, the owners and managers of such schools, do not refund welfare contributions of these teachers who leave and instead use it as penalty against the teachers who resign during the vacation.

READ: Public Basic Schools Vacate Today: Reopening Date and More

While the members of the Ghana National Council for Private Schools (GNACOPS) are increasing fees, they must ensure, they motivate their teachers as well to give off their best and for the hard work these teachers in private schools are doing.

Currently, there are many teachers in private basic schools who are paid less than GHS700in this harsh economy and many more are even paid less than 500.00 which is below the monthly minimum wage required to be paid by law to employees.