Ghana Education Service Warns SHS Heads Against Collection of Unauthorized Fees and PTA Dues

The Ghana Education Service (GES) has issued a stern warning to the heads of second-cycle institutions across the country, ordering an immediate halt to the collection of unauthorized fees from parents and guardians. This directive comes as first-year Senior High School (SHS) and Senior High Technical School (SHTS) students began reporting for the 2026 academic year on September 18. The GES management emphasized that these illegal collections directly contradict the government's free senior high school policy, which aims to eliminate financial barriers to secondary education for all Ghanaian children.

According to the GES, school heads must not compel parents to pay admission fees or Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) dues as a condition for enrollment. The Service specifically highlighted that the mandatory collection of PTA dues is currently under judicial review, making any requirement for payment legally sensitive at this time. The GES management expressed concern that such unauthorized practices undermine the transparency and accessibility of the placement process, which this year saw 87.3% of qualified candidates successfully assigned to their respective schools.

In a move to ensure accountability and relief for affected families, the GES has instructed all school heads who have already collected unapproved fees to refund them to parents immediately. The Service has warned that non-compliant officials will face administrative sanctions. By enforcing these regulations, the Ghana Education Service aims to protect the integrity of the national education policy and ensure that the transition into SHS remains a purely academic milestone rather than a financial burden for Ghanaian households.