GES Navigates SHS System Reforms and Funding While Facing Private School Resistance Over Graduation Ban

The Ghana Education Service (GES) is managing a series of significant administrative and structural shifts across the country's education landscape, ranging from systemic reforms in the Ashanti Region to critical funding allocations for senior high schools. While the service moves to streamline public education through the phasing out of the double-track system and the timely release of funds for student welfare, it simultaneously faces a legal challenge from the private sector. The Ghana National Council of Private Schools (GNACOPS) has openly defied a GES directive banning graduation ceremonies, sparking a fresh debate over the limits of the service's regulatory authority over non-state institutions.

In the Ashanti Region, a major milestone has been reached with 59 Senior High Schools (SHS) successfully transitioning from the double-track model to a full single-track system. This shift, confirmed by Mr. Henry Osei Boateng of the GES, allows entire year groups to attend classes simultaneously, easing the logistical burden on students and faculty. However, the full transition remains heavily dependent on infrastructure. While many schools have seen improvements in dormitory and classroom capacity, others remain on a transitional schedule due to space constraints. The Ashanti Regional Minister has requested a comprehensive report on these infrastructure needs to ensure the necessary resources are allocated to complete the phase-out of the double-track system across the region.

Complementing these structural changes, the GES has also moved to address the immediate logistical needs of schools by initiating the transfer of funds for perishable food items. This disbursement, directed by Deputy Director-General Dr. Munawaru Issahaque, specifically covers SHS 2 and 3 students for the period between March 1 and September 4, 2026. Regional Directors have been instructed to ensure school heads issue official receipts and submit them through Regional Accountants to the GES Director-General. This proactive funding is intended to stabilize school operations and maintain the quality of student welfare as schools navigate the current academic calendar.

Despite these internal administrative advances, the GES is currently locked in a jurisdictional dispute with the private education sector regarding end-of-year celebrations. GNACOPS National Executive Director Enoch Gyetuah has asserted that private institutions will proceed with their graduation ceremonies, arguing that the Pre-Tertiary Education Act of 2020 limits the GES's mandate primarily to the implementation of public education. While the GES maintains its ban is necessary to prevent financial strain on parents and maintain school discipline, GNACOPS views the directive as an administrative overreach. This friction underscores the ongoing challenges in balancing centralized regulatory oversight with the operational independence of private educational institutions in Ghana.