The Director of Public Relations at the Ghana Education Service (GES), Cassandra Twum Ampofo, has asserted that no school has been authorized to request registration fees from first-year students.
Her statement came in response to a complaint on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen program, where a caller alleged that the headmistress of Ngleshie Amanfrom Senior High School (SHS) was demanding a GHC70 registration fee, in addition to selling sandals and uniforms for GHC120 each.
Expressing concern, the caller urged the Education Ministry to promptly investigate the matter. In reply, Madam Twum Ampofo declared such charges as illegal.
She clarified that the harmonized prospectus, included with the placement form, outlines sub-items for each student, and during the verification process, students are not required to pay any fees. Thus, if a school demands money for registration, it is considered illegal.
Twum Ampofo emphasized that uniforms fall under the government’s responsibility and are covered by the free Senior High School (SHS) package. She stated, “No school has approval to ask first-year students to pay registration fees. During the verification process, students don’t pay anything. If a school is taking money for registration, then it’s illegal.”
Assuring concerned parents, Twum Ampofo pledged that the GES would conduct a thorough investigation into the raised concerns.
theindependentghana.com