GANTA, Nimba – During a visit to Nimba on Saturday, the Ministry of Education’s Communication Director said the ministry remained firmly against schools that held kindergarten graduations, as he said such exercises were meant to extort money from parents.

J. Maxime Bleetahn made the statement during an interview with The Bush Chicken at a program to launch Mobile Money salary payments for teachers.

Bleetahn said rumors circulated about school administrators collecting fees from kindergarten students for graduation. He warned that the Ministry of Education would penalize any schools caught in these practices.

“The money they say they are collecting are for gowns and other things. We don’t want to give our poor people hard time,” he said. “So in all, and to understand, no graduation for kindergarten students in the Republic of Liberia. Just have a common closing program and give the children their report cards. Simple.”

Bleetahn said all schools needed to adhere to the directive, adding, “If you do that and you are caught, you will have yourself to blame. So, we are advising you to please follow this order given by the Ministry of Education.”

Featured photo by Arrington Ballah