By Emmanuel Bamfo 
The Ghana Education Service (GES) has issued a directive ordering heads of Senior High Schools (SHS) and Senior High Technical Schools (SHTS) to immediately stop collecting unauthorized fees from fresh students. School heads who already took illegal charges from parents must refund the monies immediately and submit official proof of payment to GES management.
This strict directive protects parents from paying unlawful bills during the admission and enrolment period.
According to an official statement signed by Daniel Fenyi, Head of Public Relations at the GES, collecting unapproved admission charges violates the fundamental principles supporting the Free SHS policy. The government covers core secondary education costs, meaning no school administrator has authorization to demand extra charges from guardians before admitting students.
The management emphasized that forcing parents to pay unapproved admission fees or compulsory dues before completing student registration remains strictly prohibited across all public schools.
The GES also clarified the ongoing debate around Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) dues. Because legal proceedings regarding PTA levies are still active in court, all collections and discussions regarding dues remain suspended until the final verdict.
School administrators who disobey this warning will face severe disciplinary action, including possible query and removal from office. Management maintains that administrative procedures must protect parents from financial pressure during every academic calendar start.
Parents, guardians, and members of the public who paid unapproved levies should request immediate refunds from their respective school authorities. If any school head refuses to refund the funds, affected parents should report directly to regional GES offices or contact official complaints hotlines with proof of payment receipts.
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Source: Ghana News Page