MoE warns SHS heads against turning away students, charging unapproved fees

The Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has cautioned heads of various Senior High Schools (SHSs) from denying admission to students who have been duly placed in their schools or demanding unapproved fees from parents.

The Education Minister’s warning follows report that reports that some heads of Senior High Schools in the country are frustrating the enrollment of first-year students and charging unauthorized fees.

Speaking at the 32nd Annual Conference of Directors of Education held in Sunyani, in the Bono Region, he described such practices as unacceptable and detrimental to the government’s vision of providing equitable access to free and quality education for all Ghanaian children.

He noted that every student placed through the Computerized School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS) must be admitted without discrimination or additional financial demands beyond the officially approved fees.

He cited discipline, transparency, and fairness in the education sector, and warned that any headteacher found guilty of misconduct will face appropriate administrative and legal sanctions.

He also called on Directors of Education to step up monitoring efforts and ensure strict compliance with the Ministry’s directives to guarantee a smooth and fair admission process for all first-year students nationwide.

In a related development, the Ghana Education Service (GES) has warned headteachers of second-cycle schools to desist from charging Parent-Teacher Associations (PTA) fees from the first-year Senior High School students during admission.