You have no mandate to ban private school graduations – GNACOPS tells GES

Private schools in Ghana will continue to organise graduation ceremonies despite a directive from the Ghana Education Service (GES) in the Greater Accra Region banning such events, the Ghana National Council of Private Schools (GNACOPS) has stated.

The National Executive Director of GNACOPS, Enoch Gyetuah, argued that the GES does not have the legal mandate to issue such directives to private schools, insisting that private institutions operate outside the administrative control of the service.

His comments follow a directive from the Greater Accra Regional Directorate of the GES prohibiting graduation ceremonies, prom nights and related activities in both public and private schools.

The GES explained that the decision was aimed at promoting discipline, ensuring equity and protecting children from practices that could place unnecessary financial pressure on parents and guardians.

However, Mr Gyetuah maintained that the directive does not apply to private schools, stressing that the council has its own guidelines governing such activities.

“As we speak now, private schools are ongoing, celebrating their graduation ceremonies in a harmonious environment and in accordance with directives issued by the council for the private schools,” he said during an interview on Citi FM’s Breakfast Show on Wednesday, July 15, 2026.

“The Ghana Education Service, as we speak now, is not the administrative body that regulates the entire education in Ghana based on law,” he added.

According to Mr Gyetuah, the passage of the Pre-Tertiary Education Act, 2020 (Act 1049), changed the structure of education governance by assigning the GES mainly implementation responsibilities, particularly within the public education system.

“It’s not like we are going to defy it. It’s like they don’t have the mandate,” he said. “You don’t extend your mandates to areas where you don’t have jurisdiction to control.”

He disclosed that GNACOPS had formally responded to the Ministry of Education following the GES directive but had not received any further clarification or instruction from the ministry.

“We have shared our response to the ministry, and from 3rd July to date, we have not received any counter or further clarification from the ministry,” he said.

Mr Gyetuah said private schools had continued with graduation programmes under guidelines issued by GNACOPS, which include parental engagement, learner welfare, safeguarding measures and accountability requirements.

“As I’m talking to you now, last week private schools had their graduation; this week they are going to have [them],” he stated. “We are doing so in accordance with the directives that we have given to them.”

He cautioned against what he described as an attempt by the GES to exceed its authority, warning that such actions could amount to an abuse of administrative power.

“When you do that, it’s a situation of abuse of power,” he said. “And we will not allow you to be able to do that.”

The GES has maintained that the ban is part of efforts to reduce excessive financial demands on families while promoting discipline, fairness and child protection within schools.