Because state sector schools are generally run down and do not provide the kind of quality education they were known for years ago, private schools have taken over and many people desirous of giving their children quality education now patronize these private schools whose fees are understandably much higher than what obtain in the state sector schools.

But our second lead story today is also typical. The private schools are often capricious in their fee structures and how they go about collecting what is due them from parents and guardians can also often be extortionate. In this particular case, the parents are complaining that Ann's Preparatory School more or less sprung on them, at the wrong time of the month, fees they were expecting to pay much later.

Some of them have told ADM that they are not refusing to pay, but just asking the school to "understand" them and give them time, which the school has refused to do and instead sent their children and wards packing.

As we said in our story, at the time of going to press yesterday, the students, final year students at that, were still locked out.

From the look of things, the school authorities have defied the Director of Private Schools from the Ghana Education Service who had instructed them to at least recall the students while negotiations take place. The longer these students remain out of class, the more their chances of doing well in their exams also diminish. Does someone care? And who is actually in charge of ensuring fair play here?