Gowrie SHS Teachers Forcefully Remove Headmistress Over Autocratic Leadership
- Teachers at Gowrie Senior High Technical School in Bongo District have forcibly removed their headmistress, Elizabeth Zinye Paaga, on July 22, 2025
- The headmistress is under scrutiny for allegedly mismanaging student funds, failing to renovate key facilities, and diverting food supplies
- Tensions have risen among faculty members, with teachers now calling for her reassignment to another school to restore calm
The Gowrie Senior High Technical School in the Bongo District of the Upper East Region of Ghana has witnessed a dramatic turn of events on Tuesday, July 22, 2025, as teachers forcibly removed headmistress Elizabeth Zinye Paaga.
They accused her of autocratic leadership since her appointment.
Source: Original
A teacher, speaking anonymously for fear of retaliation, said that tensions with the headmistress have been escalating since 2021.
Following student riots, the headmistress charged each student GH¢109 for damages but allegedly failed to renovate essential school facilities, such as the staff room and teachers' quarters.
Moreover, they further alleged that the headmistress has not accounted for the funds collected from the students.
Despite multiple petitions to the district and regional education directors, no resolution was reached.
Teacher accuses headmistresss of blocking WASSCE results
Teachers also criticized her for withholding the 2024 WASSCE results analysis, which they believe is essential for understanding student performance trends.
Additionally, accusations emerged regarding the diversion of food supplies, including mackerels, gallons of oil, and bags of rice from the school storeroom to another location without notifying the storekeeper.
This issue escalated when the acting district director of education and police officers investigated the situation.
During their visit, teachers and students confronted the headmistress, chanting for her removal.
A teacher, whose name is withheld, expressed that since Monday, July 21, 2025, the faculty has been unable to administer end-of-term exams due to a lack of A4 paper.
He also noted instances of abusive language directed at teachers during meetings, leading to further discontent.
Teachers appeal demand action from education director
Teachers are now appealing to the regional director of education to reassign the headmistress to another school, citing that her presence is detrimental to the learning environment.
If this does not happen, they fear they will be unable to cooperate with her or engage with students effectively.
When contacted for a response, Mrs Paaga declined to speak, stating, "I am just a caretaker, not the district director of education. What has already happened has damaged me."
Source: Facebook
Government clears Capitation Grant arrears from 2023
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that the government cleared all outstanding Capitation Grant arrears owed to the basic schools across the country, marking a significant development aimed at supporting public schools and enhancing the quality of education.
This move was part of the government's efforts to address financial challenges faced by schools and ensure that students received the necessary support for their education.
A statement released by the Ghana Education Service on Wednesday, July 23, 2025, stated that the payment reflected the government's commitment to the smooth operation and effective management of schools to deliver quality education with greater autonomy and accountability.
Source: YEN.com.gh
