GES puts SHS heads on notice over unauthorised charges, urges parents to report violations
School heads across the country have been put firmly on notice by the Ghana Education Service, which is warning that any attempt to extract money or materials from students and parents beyond what is officially sanctioned amounts to a direct breach of Free Senior High School policy directives.
Speaking through the Service’s Public Relations Head, Daniel Fenyi, GES made clear that the approved school prospectus is the sole and final authority on what students can legitimately be asked to bring or pay for — and that nothing outside it carries any official backing.
The warning comes on the back of a swelling tide of complaints from parents who say that despite the policy’s promise of free education, school authorities continue to present them with lists of additional requirements — ranging from paint and padlocks to bulbs, markers and other sundry materials — often framed in ways that suggest they are non-negotiable.
Parents who shared their frustrations with Adom News described a disconnect between the spirit of the Free SHS initiative and the reality they encounter at the school gate, where such demands add to the financial pressure already bearing down on families in an increasingly costly environment.
Fenyi was unambiguous in his response, stating that no institution has been given the green light to go beyond the prospectus when making demands of parents or students. He drew a clear distinction between compulsory levies — which he said are not permitted — and voluntary support channelled through Parent-Teacher Associations or old students’ networks, which he indicated is the proper avenue for schools dealing with genuine resource gaps.
While GES has acknowledged that some institutions do face real funding and infrastructure constraints, the Service has made plain that such difficulties cannot be used as cover for circumventing established guidelines.
Parents have now been encouraged to take an active role in enforcing accountability by reporting any school found flouting the rules, with the Service signalling that such complaints will be taken seriously and could result in sanctions against offending institutions.
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