The Ghana Education Service (GES) has issued a stern warning to heads of Senior High Schools and Senior High Technical Schools (SHS/SHTS) over reports of unauthorised fee collection from parents and guardians, directing an immediate halt to the practice and demanding refunds where such fees have already been collected.
Management of GES said it had received reports with concern, noting that some school heads have been collecting admission fees, Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) dues, and other unapproved charges from parents and guardians in violation of government policy.
Management strongly cautioned all heads of SHS and SHTS institutions to cease, with immediate effect, the collection of any unauthorised fees or levies from parents and guardians.
The directive reminded school heads that such charges run contrary to government policy on free education at the senior high school level, a policy designed to eliminate financial barriers to secondary education access.
“No student or parent or guardian should be compelled, directly or indirectly, to pay admission fees, PTA dues or any other unauthorised fees as a condition for admission, enrolment and participation in school activities or access to school services.
Ghana Education Service (GES)
The statement made clear that access to enrolment, participation in school activities, and use of school services must not be tied to payment of any fees outside those officially sanctioned under the free SHS framework.
Management also drew attention to the ongoing legal status of PTA dues, reminding all heads that the matter of PTA dues collection is currently before the courts. Until the courts render a determination on the matter, GES said, all discussions and collection of PTA dues and levies remain on hold across affected institutions.
This clarification appears aimed at closing any ambiguity that might have allowed school heads to continue charging PTA dues under the assumption that such collections were merely under review rather than formally suspended.
Sanctions For Non-Compliance
In a move signalling the seriousness of the directive, GES instructed all heads to ensure that any unauthorised fees or levies already collected from parents and guardians are refunded in full.
Heads have further been directed to present evidence of these refunds to GES Management, effectively requiring documented proof of compliance rather than a simple assurance that the matter has been resolved.
This requirement places the burden of accountability squarely on individual school administrators, who will need to demonstrate concrete action rather than verbal commitment to reversing any improper charges already imposed on families.
GES Management warned that any person found to be flouting the directive would face appropriate administrative sanctions, including possible removal from office.
The statement did not specify additional categories of sanctions beyond removal, but the explicit mention of this most severe consequence underscores the level of importance Management has placed on enforcing compliance across all affected schools.
“Any person found to be flouting this directive will face the appropriate administrative sanctions, including removal from office.”
Ghana Education Service (GES)
By naming removal from office as a possible consequence, GES has signalled zero tolerance for school heads who continue to impose unauthorised charges despite the directive, reinforcing that the policy carries real disciplinary weight rather than functioning as a mere advisory.
Public Reporting Encouraged
To strengthen enforcement, GES Management encouraged members of the general public, including parents and guardians affected by unauthorised charges, to report any such instances directly to Management.
The statement assured that reported cases would be subject to prompt investigation and appropriate action, effectively inviting public participation in monitoring compliance across the country’s senior high schools.
This move suggests that GES intends to rely not only on internal oversight mechanisms but also on parents and community members to help identify schools that continue to defy the directive.
Appreciation For Stakeholder Cooperation
Concluding the statement, GES Management expressed appreciation for the cooperation of all stakeholders involved in the free SHS policy’s implementation, specifically naming school heads, directors, and parents.
The acknowledgement appeared intended to reinforce a collaborative tone even as the directive carries firm warnings, positioning the crackdown on unauthorised fees as a shared responsibility between education authorities, school administrators, and the families they serve.
As the courts continue to deliberate on the broader PTA dues matter, attention will now turn to how strictly GES enforces this directive across the country’s senior high schools, and whether affected parents come forward to report continued violations.
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