The Ghana Education Service (GES) has refuted claims that students under the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) programme are being charged feeding fees, stressing that no school has been authorised to demand money from parents or students in any form. In a statement issued by management, the Service described reports alleging that schools were collecting GH¢1,700 for meals as false and misleading. The clarification followed a radio broadcast suggesting that the Free SHS policy was no longer entirely free, with some schools purportedly charging students for food.
The GES reaffirmed the government’s unwavering commitment to sustaining and improving the flagship education initiative and cautioned that any attempt to undermine the policy would be treated with utmost seriousness. “Management of the Ghana Education Service has not authorised or sanctioned any school to charge fees — under any name or in any form — from students or parents,” the statement said.
The GES urged the public to disregard what it described as unsubstantiated claims being circulated by persons seeking to misinform the public. While denying any official approval for such charges, the GES acknowledged the possibility that some schools may be acting independently and cautioned that any institution found charging feeding fees would be operating unlawfully.
“Any school found to be charging money under the guise of feeding fees, as alleged, is acting unlawfully and without the approval of Management,” the statement emphasised. The GES further warned that clandestine fee collection and the spread of misinformation about the Free SHS policy amounted to actions contrary to national interest.
“Government’s commitment to not only maintain the Free SHS policy, but improve upon it, has not changed,” the statement added. The GES advised parents and students who may have been asked to pay unauthorised fees to report the matter to management for investigation and possible sanctions against offending schools.
The Free SHS policy, introduced in 2017, remains one of Ghana’s most significant social intervention programmes, providing tuition, accommodation and feeding support for students in public senior high schools across the country.
Although the programme has faced periodic concerns over funding, infrastructure and logistics, successive governments have maintained public assurances of their commitment to sustaining it.
Source: GraphicOnline
