Education Minister Orders Probe Into Illegal SHS Online Class Fees
Haruna Iddrisu vows swift action as schools allegedly charge students for GES-approved online lessons meant to be free
- Minister Iddrisu labels reported SHS online class fees as unlawful and orders immediate investigation by the GES Director-General.
- Technical committee to monitor fee collection and online learning support, with CHASS and parent representation.
- Ghana secures $300 million from the World Bank to upgrade school infrastructure and ease overcrowding under Free SHS policy.
The Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has ordered an immediate investigation into reports that some senior high schools (SHS) are charging students for services intended to be free.
The Minister addressed complaints that certain schools were collecting fees for Ghana Education Service (GES)-approved online classes.
A listener message cited fees of GH₵609 being charged under the guise of PTA contributions for online classes meant to supplement the first term. Minister Iddrisu described these charges as unlawful and assured that appropriate sanctions would be applied.
“Those are unlawful charges that the Director-General of GES will investigate, and appropriate sanctions will be applied,” he stated, adding that urgent action has already been initiated.
The Minister confirmed that the Director-General of GES had been called in to join him at the office to address the issue immediately.
He also responded to concerns regarding the distribution of tablets for online learning, noting that most students had received them, with confirmation from the Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS).
To strengthen enforcement and monitoring, particularly for students preparing for the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), Minister Iddrisu revealed that a technical committee will be set up. This committee will include representatives from CHASS, parents, and other stakeholders to ensure transparency and oversight.
The Minister further highlighted infrastructure challenges in the education sector, noting that rapid enrollment under the Free Senior High School policy has outpaced the development of facilities.
“We are still dealing with the symptoms of a national problem. Infrastructure across the country did not match the introduction of Free Senior High School… If you had a population of 1,400, now 3,500, what do you expect? There will be congestion, there will be overcrowding,” he said.
To address these challenges, Ghana has secured $300 million from the World Bank, with take-off scheduled for July, aimed at upgrading school infrastructure. Additional support will also come through the GETFund to expand capacity and improve learning conditions.
