The Ghana Education Service (GES) Professor Ernest Kofi Davis has directed all heads of second cycle schools who collected unauthorised fees and levies before enrolling fresh students to refund them with immediate effect
The GES stressed that the collection of unauthorised fees and charges from parents in connection with admission of fresh students was inconsistent with the principles underpinning the Free Senior High School (SHS) policy.
“I, therefore, wish to state clearly that any head of school who has collected money from students or their parents without proper authorisation must refund them,” the Director-General of the GES, Professor Ernest Kofi Davis, warned at a press briefing in response to the widespread complaints of heads of senior high schools demanding for items and PTA levies before enrolment of fresh students. .
“Any head of school that allows such money to be collected by a third party within the school premises will also be punished severely within the rules and regulations of the service.
“We will not allow the actions of a few individuals to undermine a policy that has expanded access to secondary education for thousands of Ghanaian children,” he affirmed.
He said the Free SHS policy was introduced to remove financial barriers to senior secondary education and ensure that no child was denied access to education at that level due to the inability of parents and guardians to pay certain fees.
“Any conduct by a school head that undermines this objective will not be tolerated. Let me be unequivocal: this worrying trend must stop,” Prof Davis stated.
He said the GES had received reports that some heads of schools were allegedly demanding and collecting various forms of monies from parents and guardians in connection with the admission of students.
The management of the GES, therefore,cautioned such heads to cease with immediate effect the collection of such unauthorised fees or levies from parents and guardians, reminding those heads that such a practice was contrary to the government’s policy on free education at the senior high school level.
The Director-General encouraged parents and guardians who encountered such demands to report them to the GES at the district, regional or headquarters.
Academic calendar
He said for the first time in approximately six years, “we have reached a point where students across the various levels of our education system have reported to school within the month of September.”
This did not happen by accident; it was achieved through hard work.
We are now seeing a return towards a more predictable and synchronised academic calendar, which gives parents and other stakeholders the opportunity to plan,” Prof Davis said.
He commended all stakeholders who had contributed to the progress, especially teachers and school heads, adding that the objective must be to maintain the stability and ensure that future academic years began and proceeded according to a predictable calendar.
“We are, therefore, committed to protecting the gains made and working to ensure that the academic calendar remains stable, predictable and conducive to effective teaching and learning,” Prof Davis said.
He said the management of the GES worked hard to mechanise promotions of teachers last year, “and you can trust us to deliver this year as well.”
