The Ghana Education Service (GES) has directed heads of Senior High Schools (SHSs) and Senior High Technical Schools (SHTSs) to stop collecting unauthorised fees and levies from parents and guardians and, importantly, to refund any such payments that have already been collected.
The directive, contained in a statement dated September 23, 2026 and signed by the Head of Public Relations at GES, Daniel Fenyi, comes after the Service said it had received reports that some school heads were demanding payments from parents and guardians during the admission and enrolment process.
According to the directive, no student or parent should be compelled, either directly or indirectly, to pay admission fees, Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) dues or other unauthorised charges as a condition for admission, enrolment, participation in school activities or access to school services.
But the latest instruction goes beyond simply telling schools to stop the practice. GES has also directed heads of schools that have already collected unauthorised fees or levies to refund the money and submit evidence of the refunds to GES Management.
The development is particularly important for parents whose children are currently going through the SHS or SHTS admission process, because it provides a specific direction for dealing with payments that GES considers unauthorised.
What GES Has Ordered School Heads to Do
The latest GES directive contains several instructions that school heads are expected to follow immediately. The central issue is that parents and guardians must not be subjected to unauthorised financial demands as a condition for their children's access to senior high or senior high technical education.
| GES instruction | What it means |
|---|---|
| Stop unauthorised collections | SHS and SHTS heads must cease collecting unauthorised fees and levies immediately. |
| Do not make payment a condition | Parents must not be compelled to pay unauthorised charges for admission, enrolment, school activities or access to services. |
| Refund money already collected | Schools that have collected unauthorised fees or levies must return the money. |
| Submit evidence | School heads must provide evidence of the refunds to GES Management. |
| Report violations | Parents and members of the public are encouraged to report cases of unauthorised collections to GES. |
GES also warned that persons who fail to comply with the directive could face appropriate administrative sanctions, including removal from office.
Why the Refund Order Matters to Parents
The refund instruction is significant because the latest GES position is not limited to preventing future charges. It also addresses money that some parents may already have paid.
In practical terms, where a school has collected a fee or levy that falls within the unauthorised charges referred to by GES, the school head is expected to arrange for the money to be returned and to provide evidence to Management.
This is important because parents who have already made payments may otherwise be uncertain about whether the earlier payment remains valid or whether they have any avenue for recovery.
However, parents should also distinguish between an unauthorised charge and every possible payment associated with school attendance. The GES statement specifically addresses unauthorised fees and levies and payments being imposed as conditions for admission, enrolment, participation in activities or access to school services. It should therefore not be interpreted as a declaration that every cost or payment connected with education is automatically unauthorised.
The Latest Directive Follows an Earlier GES Warning
The September 23 directive follows an earlier warning issued by GES on September 18, 2026. In that earlier communication, the Service instructed heads of SHSs and SHTSs to stop imposing unauthorised charges and compelling parents to purchase certain items directly from schools.
That earlier warning followed reports that some parents were being required to purchase items including trunks, chop boxes, uniforms and cutlasses through schools. GES said such practices were contrary to approved guidelines and warned that school heads who imposed unauthorised charges or compulsory purchases could face administrative sanctions.
247 World Reports previously reported on that development in the article GES Warns SHS and SHTS Heads Over Unauthorised Charges on Parents.
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The new September 23 directive adds another layer to the earlier warning by requiring schools that have already collected unauthorised fees or levies to refund the money and submit evidence to GES Management.
GES Says Payments Must Not Become a Barrier to Admission
At the centre of the directive is the principle that an unauthorised payment should not be used to prevent a student from accessing senior high school education.
GES specifically stated that no student or parent or guardian should be compelled, directly or indirectly, to pay admission fees, PTA dues or other unauthorised fees as a condition for admission, enrolment, participation in school activities or access to school services.
This means that parents who are going through the admission process should pay close attention to the basis for any financial demand made by a school. A request for payment should not simply be accepted because it comes from a school office or because other parents are making the same payment.
Where parents are unsure about a payment, the safest approach is to seek clarification from the school and, where necessary, from the relevant education authorities before making the payment.
What About PTA Dues?
The issue of PTA dues requires particular care because GES's latest statement refers to a matter that is currently before the courts.
In the September 23 directive, GES reminded school heads that the matter concerning the collection of PTA dues is pending before the courts. The Service stated that discussions and collection of PTA dues and levies should remain on hold until the matter is determined by the courts.
However, a development reported on September 24 has introduced a legal clarification dispute. The National Council of Parent Teacher Association (NCPTA) has challenged GES's position concerning PTA dues, arguing that an existing High Court injunction preserves the status quo in the dispute.
The NCPTA said it supports the principle that no child should be denied admission, enrolment, participation in school activities or access to services because a parent has not paid a PTA contribution. At the same time, it argued that the September 23 GES directive needs to be interpreted consistently with the court's interim order.
This means readers should be careful about presenting the PTA issue as finally settled. The latest available reports show that there is an ongoing legal disagreement concerning the scope and effect of the court order, while GES has stated its position in the September 23 directive.
School Heads Face Possible Administrative Sanctions
GES has also made the consequences of non-compliance clear.
The Service warned that anyone found flouting the directive could face appropriate administrative sanctions, including removal from office. This puts responsibility on school heads and other relevant authorities to ensure that the directive is followed at the school level.
The warning is also significant because GES had already instructed school heads earlier in September to stop unauthorised charges and compulsory purchases. The latest directive therefore shows that the Service is continuing to monitor the issue rather than treating the earlier warning as the end of the matter.
Recent reporting also indicates that GES has been investigating allegations involving schools selling items that appear on the national harmonised prospectus to parents. The Service has said its investigations were at a preliminary stage and that some school heads had already been contacted and warned.
Parents Can Report Unauthorised Charges
GES has encouraged parents, guardians and other members of the public to report cases involving unauthorised fees or levies for investigation and the necessary action.
This gives parents a formal route to raise concerns where they believe they are being compelled to make payments that are not authorised.
Parents should keep any relevant evidence they may have, such as receipts, official notices, messages or other documents showing what payment was requested and the circumstances under which it was demanded. Such information can help the appropriate authorities understand and investigate a complaint.
Parents can also contact GES through its official contact channels. The Ghana Education Service currently publishes its headquarters contact details, including its official email address, on its website.
The National Harmonised Prospectus Remains Relevant
The latest directive does not mean that parents should ignore the official requirements for students entering SHS and SHTS.
GES previously released a National Harmonised Prospectus for the 2026/2027 academic year to guide parents and students on items required for enrolment. The prospectus was intended to provide a standardised list for prospective SHS and SHTS students.
Parents should therefore distinguish between purchasing or preparing items listed in the approved prospectus and being forced to buy those items directly from a particular school or pay unauthorised charges as a condition for admission.
This distinction is especially important because the GES position concerns unauthorised charges and compulsory payments, rather than suggesting that students have no approved requirements for admission and enrolment.
247 World Reports also previously covered GES's clarification concerning school admission and boarding requirements in the article GES Clarifies SHS Boarding Rules: Students Must Not Be Turned Away Over Trunks or Chop Boxes.
What Parents Should Take From the Latest GES Directive
The main message from the September 23 statement is that school heads have been instructed to stop collecting unauthorised fees and levies from parents and guardians, while schools that have already collected such payments are required to refund them and provide evidence of the refunds to GES Management.
Parents should therefore avoid assuming that every payment requested during admission is automatically authorised. Where a charge is unclear, they should ask the school to explain the basis for it and verify the requirement through the appropriate official education authority where necessary.
They should also be cautious about information circulating on social media, messaging platforms and informal admission groups. A payment request appearing in a WhatsApp group or being communicated verbally does not, on its own, establish that the payment has been authorised by GES.
The latest directive also reinforces the importance of keeping receipts and other payment records, particularly where parents believe they have been charged an unauthorised fee.
GES Directive at a Glance
| Item | Confirmed position |
|---|---|
| Directive date | September 23, 2026 |
| Schools affected | Senior High Schools and Senior High Technical Schools |
| Unauthorised charges | Must stop immediately |
| Money already collected | Must be refunded |
| Refund evidence | Must be submitted to GES Management |
| Possible sanctions | Administrative sanctions, including removal from office |
| Public reporting | GES encourages reports of unauthorised fee or levy collection |
The September 23, 2026 directive requires schools to stop collecting unauthorised fees and levies immediately, return money already collected under the directive, and submit evidence of the refunds to GES Management. The Service has also warned that failure to comply could lead to administrative sanctions, including removal from office.
For parents, the development provides a clearer position on what to do when they encounter unauthorised financial demands during the admission process. Keeping receipts and other records, asking for clarification and using official channels to report concerns can help ensure that complaints are properly documented.
The separate issue involving PTA dues remains subject to an ongoing court-related dispute, so parents and school authorities should rely on the latest official communications and court developments rather than assuming that every aspect of the PTA matter has been finally resolved.
As the 2026/2027 SHS and SHTS admission process continues, parents should remain alert, verify payment requests and rely on official information when preparing their children for school.
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