The Acting Speaker of Parliament, Hon. Solomon Sengepoh Thomas has called on the Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary Education (MBSSE), Conrad Sackey to increase the suspension of six Principals from Senior Secondary Schools in Freetown from two months to six months.
The affected schools include Annie Walsh Memorial SSS, Saint Edwards SSS, Saint Joseph’s SSS, Prince of Wales SSS, Methodist Girls High School SSS and Albert Academy SSS all in Freetown.
The affected Principals were invited by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) for investigations based on admission improprieties such as; breaching agreed intake numbers, admitting pupils above the agreed cut-off marks/aggregates under declaration of available classroom spaces etc, during the 2023 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) admission have been suspended by the Teaching Service Commission.
After the investigations, the ACC recommended, among others, that administrative measures be taken against them. Based on the ACC recommendation, they have been suspended by the Teaching Service Commission ( TSC ) for two months from 15th April to 15th June 2024 but the acting Speaker has asked the Minister to increase the punishment to six months.
A release from the Teaching Service Commission states that retired Principals of the respective schools have been appointed as caretakers to cover the suspension period.