No more lavish post-WASSCE celebrations in schools — GES anounces ban

The Ghana Education Service (GES) has announced a ban on lavish post-WASSCE celebrations and extravagant graduation activities on school campuses across the country.

The directive follows growing public concern over the increasing trend of students receiving expensive gifts, including vehicles, money bouquets and other costly items during school celebrations.

GES says the practice promotes inequality among students and shifts attention away from academic achievement and the core values of education.

Speaking at a press briefing in Accra on Monday, June 22, the Director-General of the GES, Professor Ernest Kofi Davis disclosed that a committee would be established to develop guidelines for all celebrations held on school premises.

According to him, the committee will review activities such as speech and prize-giving days and recommend standards to ensure uniformity across schools.

"A committee will be formed to review all celebrations on school premises, including speech and prize-giving days, and come out with guidelines to ensure standardization. This will help address challenges associated with some of these celebrations," he said.

The Director-General noted that the decision is intended to promote modest celebrations and discourage what he described as the excessive display of wealth among students.

He said schools are expected to strictly enforce the directive, while regional directors will supervise compliance.

"I wish to repeat that the rationale for this directive is to tell parents and all Ghanaians that excessive show of wealth on school premises is not the kind of value GES wants to project and prioritize among SHS students," he stated.

The GES further urged parents and guardians to support the directive by avoiding extravagant gifts and maintaining modest celebrations for students.

The service also called on teachers, school authorities, traditional leaders, the media and the general public to help discourage the growing culture of opulent displays during school events.

According to the GES, educational institutions should promote discipline, hard work and equal opportunity rather than social status and material wealth.