The Ghana Education Service (GES) has issued a directive ordering all heads of Senior High Schools (SHS) and Senior High Technical Schools (SHTS) to immediately stop collecting fees and levies that have not been officially approved. This move comes after reports that some school heads were demanding admission fees, Parents and Teachers Association (PTA) dues, and various other charges from parents and guardians. The directive was issued on Wednesday and signed by Mr Daniel Fenyi, Head of Public Relations at GES.
According to the GES, the collection of unauthorised fees contradicts the government's free Senior High School education policy. The policy, introduced to remove financial barriers to secondary education for all Ghanaian students, aims to provide free education at the Senior High School level. However, some institutions may be undermining the intent of that policy by introducing informal charges that place additional financial burdens on families.
The GES directive signals that management had received concerning reports that certain school heads were collecting unapproved fees. The statement did not name any specific schools involved in the practice, nor did it outline what sanctions, if any, would be imposed on heads of schools found to have continued collecting such fees after the directive. The directive applies across all public senior high and senior high technical institutions nationwide.
Ghana's Free SHS programme was introduced to ensure that all Ghanaian students have access to secondary education without financial constraints. The programme has been instrumental in increasing enrolment rates in Senior High Schools across the country. However, the introduction of unauthorised fees by some school heads may be undermining the programme's objectives.
The GES has strongly cautioned all heads of SHS/SHTS to cease, with immediate effect, the collection of unauthorised fees or levies from parents/guardians. The directive is a reminder that charging and collection of unauthorised fees and levies are contrary to the government policy on free education at the Senior High School level. School heads are expected to adhere to the directive and ensure that only approved fees are collected.
The Ghana Education Service is responsible for overseeing the administration of Senior High Schools in Ghana. The Service has a critical role in ensuring that schools adhere to government policies and regulations. In this case, the GES has demonstrated its commitment to upholding the free Senior High School education policy by issuing a directive to stop the collection of unauthorised fees.
The directive is expected to have a positive impact on parents and guardians who have been bearing the burden of unauthorised fees. With the implementation of the directive, parents and guardians can expect to save on costs associated with their wards' education. The GES will likely monitor compliance with the directive to ensure that school heads adhere to the government's free Senior High School education policy.
Key points
- The Ghana Education Service has directed all Senior High Schools to halt the collection of unapproved fees.
- The collection of unauthorised fees contradicts the government's free Senior High School education policy.
- The directive applies across all public senior high and senior high technical institutions nationwide.
