The Ghana Education Service (GES) has firmly denied reports suggesting that students on the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) policy are being charged feeding fees. The GES stated that no school has been authorised to collect money from parents or students for meals. These claims, which mentioned a fee of GH¢1,700, were described as false and misleading in a statement from the management.
This clarification comes after allegations surfaced on radio that the Free SHS policy was no longer entirely free. Some reports indicated that certain schools were demanding payment for student meals. The GES stressed that the government's promise to maintain and improve this important education policy remains unwavering.
The Free SHS policy, launched in 2017, is a flagship government initiative. It aims to provide free tuition, accommodation, and feeding for students in public senior high schools. This policy is one of Ghana's most significant social interventions. Despite occasional concerns about funding and logistics issues, successive governments have pledged ongoing support for the program.
In its statement, the GES management made it clear that they have not authorised any school to collect fees under any name or in any form. They urged the public to ignore the unsubstantiated claims. The service acknowledged that some schools might be acting on their own. However, any institution found charging feeding fees is operating illegally.
The GES issued a strong warning that collecting fees secretly and spreading false information about Free SHS is against the national interest. The statement emphasised: “Government’s commitment to not only maintain the Free SHS policy, but improve upon it, has not changed.” Parents and students who are asked to pay unauthorised fees should report these instances to the GES for investigation.
If schools are found to be charging fees without approval, they will face penalties. The GES is committed to ensuring that the Free SHS policy remains accessible and free for all eligible students as intended by the government.